Relative Fortune
by Cherylann Rivers
Summary: Frank & Joe become immersed in a series of 4 separate cases, both personal and professional, that force them to confront their own demons, past and present. In the end, they learn and grow, &, along with the help of their friends & family, they begin to understand that they are relatively fortunate for so many reasons. The completed story is 37 chapters, which will post 2x weekly.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _This story rounds out the arc I have created and is the culminating story in the series that includes the following: "First Encounters", "Alternate Plans", "The Secret Spaces", "The Stages of Conviction," "Civil Skirmishes," and "Stay by my Side." To that end, this story will see the return of many of the characters, both canon and original (as well as at least one big surprise) and tie up any loose end that I think I may have left in any of the stories. You could read it without having read the others, but this story is really for those who have been so kind and supportive and who wanted to see what became of everyone. It picks up approximately two months after "Stay by my Side" leaves off._

 _It was also a huge undertaking (37 chapters) and involves four mysteries which are united under the one theme to which the title applies: that, no matter what difficulties/ tragedies/ triumphs life presents, family and friends are the true fortune in life and carry us through. Many chapters are Frank- centric; many are Joe- centric; some involve their families and friends; some involve the brothers together. I tried to interweave all of the chapters so that each character can have his or her moment of resolution. Since this is, most likely, the last expansive, full-length story I shall probably write, I tried to take the time to develop each situation carefully and I thought about what I wanted to see resolved and what wonderful reviewers asked me to consider resolving. The story is complete and I shall post two chapters a week._

 _Finally, a brief note to thank in advance everyone who will read, favorite, and especially comment on the chapters. I am so appreciative of your time and support. Many people have commented on my former stories in the time it has taken me to write this one, so thank you to each and every one of you who has done so._

 _With no further delay, I present "Relative Fortune." I hope you enjoy it!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 1

"How ya feeling?" 28 year old Frank Hardy asked his year younger brother as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, upping the speed on the treadmill once again and trying not to smile.

Joe raised a brow when he saw how fast his brother was going and cursed silently under his breath. "Fine," he huffed as he increased the level of his own machine. He would not let Frank win; lunch was on the line.

Frank gave him a thumbs up and continued running and, to Joe's utter disappointment, he didn't look half-winded.

Joe sighed inwardly and wondered how long he could hold out. It was a Saturday morning and working out was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. He would much prefer to be sleeping, eating, and hanging out with his wife Vanessa and their eight month old son, Evan, but it wasn't happening. Instead, here he was, following through on his New Year's resolution to start working out again at least four days a week, and one of those times was the mandatory Saturday morning session with his brother. The problem was- Frank had never _stopped_ working out, so he had an unfair advantage!

"Five more minutes!" Frank called happily and Joe rolled his eyes as he tried to breathe. It wasn't that he was in bad shape; quite the opposite, in fact. It was just that he enjoyed working out only when he was in the mood and he much preferred a no- schedule routine or playing ball with his friends to this systematic regime that his brother had perfected for years. Frank had always run or worked out every day at practically the break of dawn, so, even though it was only 11:00 in the morning, it was actually late for him, though they were finishing a two- hour session.

"Done!" Frank exclaimed as the treadmill automatically went into "cool down" mode, and Joe just nodded, not trusting himself to talk for the next few minutes. He had kept up with his brother the last few weeks, and certainly could outdo him when it came to the weight machines; he was even naturally quicker than Frank. But Frank had patience and endurance and could just keep going. Joe would much rather get in a quick workout and be done with it.

Twenty minutes later, showered and dressed in regular clothes, he did manage to glare at his brother. "I don't get how you like this crap," he told him as he threw his workout clothes in his bag, but Frank just laughed.

"Seriously!" Joe went on. "I mean, you genuinely LIKE it. I do it because I told you I would, but, it it were up to me, the weekly football games would enough. I'm tired and hungry," he grumbled.

Frank pat him on the back, a twinkle in his deep brown eyes. "I know, little brother. I'm proud of you. What do you say I treat you to an early lunch, just me and you, to make up for it? We'll call today a tie."

"Really?" Joe asked, suddenly in a considerably better mood.

"Absolutely," Frank agreed. "I told Callie I'd be home around 1:30, so we're fine. Call Vanessa."

Joe smiled. "Sounds great," he agreed, and took out his phone to text his wife. Despite his grumbling, he loved hanging out with his brother. Though they worked together with their father as private investigators and saw each other all the time, they also made time for each other on the weekends. Both couples, in fact, were extraordinarily close, and their children would grow up together, which made him incredibly happy.

On the way out of the gym, he stopped at the front desk, where his best friend, Biff Hooper, was standing and eating a Snickers bar. Biff looked up when he saw them.

"Working hard, I see," Frank said dryly to Biff, though his tone was teasing.

"Listen, Frankie boy," Biff replied, purposefully taking another big bite and chewing like a cow obnoxiously as Joe tried not to laugh. "Chocolate is made of milk. Milk has protein. This one has nuts- also protein. Basically, it's a health food." He smiled.

"You're a virtual scientist," Joe added, and Biff laughed.

"You know it, bro," Biff replied. "You guys like the gym?" he asked.

Joe nodded. "It's fantastic, man. Congrats. I'm really happy for you."

"There's a lesson in this," Biff replied, finishing his candy bar.

When Joe raised his brow, Biff replied, "All you need are dashing good looks and a fantastic body to succeed in life. Brains are overrated, man."

Joe snorted. "What do you do when you have neither?" he asked, as Biff threw the wrapper at him.

Despite his joking, he was extraordinarily proud of Biff. Though he had never done well in school, it was only because he had never taken it seriously, preferring to spend his time on football and mischief, both of which Joe had joined him in. But Biff was a very hard worker, had built his construction company from the ground up with his cousin, Ronnie, and had constructed and invested in Core Fit, the hottest gym in the area. Biff was funny, loyal, and trustworthy, and he deserved all the success he was finding. Still, if he could annoy him…

"This place is doing great. Between this and the construction business, you might actually be able to pay for the wedding. What's the cost now?" Joe asked.

Biff groaned. "I don't know; nothing is planned yet. Karen handles all that. I figure if I don't know, I can pretend it's all free. I told her to hide any receipts until I have to acknowledge them. Speaking of which…" He turned to Frank. "You're doing my taxes this year, right?"

Frank's eyes grew wide. "Biff, really? I didn't mind when it was just you, but now you have the construction business and the gym. It gets pretty complicated. I'm not an accountant!" he griped.

"You're a freaking math genius- good enough!" Biff quipped.

Joe tried not to laugh. Poor Frank. Somehow, whenever anyone found out that he had a Masters degree from Princeton in Math, the #1 question was always, "Wanna do my taxes?" And, because Frank was a nice person and didn't like to let people down, he currently did his own taxes, his in-laws, his parents, The Gellers Foundation, Joe's, Hardy Investigations, Phil's, and now, apparently, Biff's.

"How do I get roped into these things?" he asked as he turned to Joe.

Joe smiled, looking wide-eyed and innocent like Biff. "What can I say? You ARE a freaking math genius."

"You get a free lifetime gym membership here," Biff reminded him. "And a steep discount on any building costs. Plus, the pleasure of my company."

"I should charge you for that alone," Frank replied, but sighed. "Fine. But I swear to you that if you don't get me the paperwork by the end of the month, don't expect it done."

Biff smiled widely. "That's my boy! Of course."

Joe knew well that there was no way that Biff would get the papers to Frank a minute earlier than the April 15th deadline, but he was staying out of it. Frank should know that too, after all! Plus, Frank would do it anyway, he knew, though he'd let Biff have it.

"Alright, hot stuff," Joe joked. "We're heading out now. Call you later. Come over tonight with Kar?"

"I mean, if I have nothing else planned," Biff replied, stretching.

"So, 7:00?" Joe asked.

"Of course," Biff answered, laughing. "See ya later, sweet cheeks!"

Shaking his head at Joe and Biff's antics, Frank rolled his eyes as they headed out the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Forty minutes later, Joe was sitting across from his brother, finishing their meal.

"Don't you think that the triple cheeseburger and fries kind of negates the whole workout routine of the morning?" Frank asked, shaking his head as he finished his own grilled chicken salad.

"No," Joe replied, blue eyes sparkling. "The milkshake I'm planning on ordering as soon as I'm done will do that. Until then, I'm practically a model for healthy living."

"Is that how it works?" Frank asked, amused. He turned to look at his iPhone, which had just vibrated. He smiled.

"Absolutely," Joe joked. "Who's that? Callie?"

"Yeah," Frank replied warmly, "and she says hi." Joe had to smile. After all of these years, Frank still was completely smitten with his wife; it was evident in the look on his face which automatically softened when he spoke her name.

Callie was like a sister to him, and, recently, she had confided a part of her past that had remained a secret for many years. He knew that she had told Frank that she had shared it with him, but they had never spoken of it. It would be unbearably difficult, admittedly, but just the knowledge that he knew had brought him and Frank even closer; it was as if they were united in an unbreakable trust. One day he would talk to Frank about it, if only to find out what had happened to the animal who had attacked Callie; where he was imprisoned. But he would never bring it up other than that unless Frank did, and he hadn't done so in ten years. Still, when he looked at his brother, he knew that Frank sensed his silent support, and he saw how much it meant to him.

"How's she doing?" Joe asked.

"Callie?" Frank asked. "Amazing. I don't know how she gets it all done. Somehow, she manages to take care of JJ and Laurie," he started, referring to his two children, who would be two and one year old next month, "and she's made incredible progress with Johnny's Foundation. She's actually been traveling a lot; I miss her." He blushed a little.

Joe smiled. "Yeah. I know. Van's been working from home a few days a week. Callie managed to come over once or twice and with the kids and filled her in. That's great!"

"It is," Frank admitted. "The charity has grown so much, and she's running it, so she's had to meet with people in the city and the whole tri-state area. It's making a huge difference for so many people, and because it's for Johnny, you know she's 100% invested. So she's doing great, but, between the two of us, the hours are crazy. Thank god mom and Callie's parents have been so helpful watching the kids. Hopefully, things will settle down a bit in the summer when more people are hired. I don't know if I told you, but Cal found a really nice office location for the center. It'll be busy, but- she's happy, you know? That's all I can ask."

"That's a lot," Joe acknowledged. "Do you two ever sleep?!"

Frank laughed. "Not really. Wait! You'll see. Evan's been a great little sleeper and he's such an easy baby. So's Laurie. But two kids are quadruple the work- I'm not kidding! Enjoy it now, Joe, because you have no idea what's coming."

Joe's eyes lit up. "I'm so excited, though!"

Frank nodded and spoke affectionately. "Of course you are. As you should be. I'm excited for you!" Frank admitted. "And Vanessa's still feeling well? The morning sickness is done?"

"Thank god," Joe groaned. "Second trimester Vanessa is much more agreeable than first trimester Vanessa. She's a trooper, though, and as gorgeous as ever."

"She is," Frank agreed. "We've been talking about…"

" _Everything-_ I know!" Joe cut in, laughing. "You two have become pretty close. Fine with me-Cal and I have nothing to say about computers and programming!"

"No argument there," Frank replied lightly. "But are you getting ready? Seriously! Two little boys? It's going to be crazy! I mean, I've heard…"

"Frank and Joe, Part 2!" Joe added, smiling. "August can't come soon enough!"

"I'm telling you," Frank cautioned again. "You have no idea how much work two kids will be."

"We may stop at five," Joe joked. "Honestly, we have to talk about it. We'll see." He eased off, knowing that Frank and Callie could not have more children.

Frank sensed the switch in tone. "Joe, it's fine," he said at last. "Really. I have my two babies and I'm happy. We both are. We probably would have decided to stop anyway…" He paused, realizing he was treading very sensitive territory.

"They're great kids," Joe said softly. "Your family is perfect."

Frank smiled and looked down.

"Is Callie still talking about adoption?" he asked casually, and then stopped himself. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

Frank looked up and met his eyes. "It IS your business, since Callie told you," he said quietly. "It's okay, Joe. Yes, she is. Honestly, we have to discuss it. I think we decided to wait a few years before we make that decision; it's a long process anyway. I love being a dad. JJ keeps me on my toes and my daughter…" Joe watched, touched, as Frank choked up a bit, "is the love of my life." He continued after a moment. "But I want to give them the attention they need and deserve. And I want to be a good detective and continue in a career I'm passionate about. And I want time to spend with you and my friends and to have fun. Plus, there's Callie, and we need time for just us. I can't do all of those things and have ten kids!" He let out a soft laugh. "So right now and maybe forever, two is fine."

"Van and I have talked about stopping after this one," Joe admitted, surprising himself by sharing that detail with his brother. At Frank's incredulous look, Joe smiled. "I know, I know. I always joke about ten kids, and Evan is my life- I'm so excited for him to have a brother. But I feel EXACTLY the same way you do; so does Vanessa. MAYBE one more after this… in a few more years. I… thanks, Frank, for telling me. It means a lot."

Frank simply nodded.

"It's good that Cal might want to wait on adoption, too," Joe went on.

"Yeah," Frank agreed. "And speaking of whom," he looked down at his watch, "I haven't seen her in three days, and she's home now, so I have to start going. Besides, you have Hooper to prepare for, god help you."

"And I assume you'll be having Callie's parents watching JJ and Laurie for a few more hours, then," Joe replied with a straight face. He started laughing when Frank turned bright red.

Before he could continue to tease his brother, Joe's cell phone rang. It was his father. After several minutes of conversing, all humor had left him. When he hung up, he looked right at his brother. "We have to go- now. Two missing persons cases. One's a two year old girl; one's a young woman. Dad wants you to meet him at the office. I'm supposed to meet Collig at the precinct."

Frank stood immediately, reached into his wallet, and left money for the bill and tip. "Let's go," he agreed, knowing time was of the essence. Seeing his family would have to wait, as always.

Knowing Joe understood, he pat him quickly on the shoulder, having no idea what would be awaiting them.

He did know this: missing person cases were never good.

And he and Joe were about to tackle two of them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Note:** _Thank you so much to those who have read or Favorited the story. A special thank you to those of you who have left feedback, which is very much appreciated: Hlahabibty, Hero76, Drumboy100, max2013, FANHB08, sm2003495, ErinJordan, candylou, BeeBee18, ChrisCorso, hbndgirl, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, and Caranath. I sincerely appreciate your time and support!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 2

Joe sat in the office of Ezra Collig, longtime Chief of the Bayport PD. Collig was one of his greatest mentors, having been his dad's best friend for as long as Joe could remember, and he served as practically an uncle to him.

"'Bout time you showed up," Collig grumbled as he entered his office, eyes popping open as he saw Joe lazily flipping through his cellphone as he lounged on Collig's desk. "And get the _hell_ off my desk."

 _My ornery, pain in the ass uncle,_ Joe thought with a smirk as he listened to Collig. Some things never changed.

"Good to see you, too," Joe quipped, doffing his baseball cap at him. "No place I'd rather be and with no finer and more upbeat company."

Collig just stared right at him and shook his head before letting the smallest laugh escape. "One of these days your smart mouth is going to get you in trouble," he said with a sigh. "How's Vanessa? And my boy?"

Joe had to smile. Evan was named partially after Chief Collig, and he came to see him at least a few times a month, the moments when he saw Collig happy and carefree. And Joe knew that, deep down, he had a very soft spot in his heart for him, Frank, and their respective families, though he and Collig often clashed. Admittedly, Joe knew that he often broke every rule in the book to get things done, but still... Collig hadn't killed him. _Yet._

"He's great," Joe replied. "And you know Van's feeling better. Thanks a lot for asking, Chief. I think you're getting just a little fond of me," he joked.

"And I think that's proof that your judgement is off," he retorted.

At those words, there was a knock on the door and Pat Merkel, one of Joe's best friends and a well respected officer on the force, walked in. "Chief. Joe," he nodded, trying to be serious, and Joe stifled a laugh. Pat got in trouble as much as he did with Chief Collig, which made sense, as they often worked together and were very successful, though how they obtained those results didn't always mesh well with procedure.

"Patrick," Joe stated with mock formality and a straight face. "Delightful to see you! I assume we'll be working together again under Chief Collig's stellar guidance. I look forward to the opportunity to serve with you and…"

"I haven't even told both of you what the assignment is, young Hardy, and already you're pissing me off enough to remove you from the case," Collig cut him off. "Are you in or not?"

"We're in," Pat answered, and Joe nodded, apologized quickly, and crossed his arms.

"You said something about a missing persons case. What's up?" Joe asked, serious now.

"In your brother's case, it's a missing person- that's a serious ongoing situation, and I'll head there as soon as we're done here. In your case, there's been a murder, and we have an unidentified female in the morgue," Collig began. "We also got a call for a missing person at the same time, so we think it's probably the woman in the morgue. We're waiting on the family to identify the body."

"So why do you need us?" Pat asked, nodding his head at Joe.

Collig handed Joe a sheet of paper. "We can't do too much until we get a positive ID, but I put together a list of what we do know so that we can get on it right away when we verify the info. The woman's body was found in the outskirts of Bayport by River Road, where it's very isolated. It looks as if she's been dead less than 12 hours."

Joe scanned the paper as he stood by Pat and sucked in his breath. The details were pretty horrifying.

"You can tell this is a little strange," Collig said directly. "First, the body was found in the middle of nowhere. It was so isolated, in fact, that the man who found her- his name is in the report- first thought that it was a deer that had been hit on the side of the road. She was run over, and her body was shot with bullet holes. And her underwear was found around her ankles."

"Sexual assault?" Pat asked, and Collig nodded. "I assume. We're waiting on confirmation." As Pat and Collig continued to speak, Joe turned away quietly.

Sexual assault. Again. Ever since Callie had shared her story with him on Christmas, it seemed that he was hyper aware of these cases, and they were everywhere. Behind each headline, he knew all too well, was a victim, a life disrupted, destroyed, or ended by the selfishness and violence of others. He also knew that he would make it his mission to help in these cases, fueled by a personal need for vengeance. He also knew, conversely, that Frank should have nothing to do with it. He had suffered too much already.

"You okay, buddy?" Pat asked, noting Joe's change in demeanor. Even Collig looked at him strangely.

"Yeah. I'm fine," he replied quietly. "Listen, we'll get on it. Let's not share this with Frank unless we need to, okay? He'll be busy enough. We can handle it."

"That's why I called you," Collig said, simply. "Oh- and Vogelthorpe will be in charge of the case and help you guys out. The other situation is taking precedence."

Pat groaned. "Really? Chief, we're fine to do this on our own."

Joe couldn't help but to agree, and he felt bad for Pat. Logan Vogelthorpe had been Pat's enemy on the force for years. He was an overbearing, overzealous officer who slightly out-ranked Pat and took every opportunity to throw that fact in Pat's face. He'd always resented Pat for his family history in law enforcement, thinking Pat got special treatment because of it. Joe knew nothing could have been further from the truth; in fact, Pat worked harder than almost anyone else simply because he _didn't_ want special treatment. Of course, Collig rode him mercilessly, but Joe knew that he cared about Pat a lot. He and Pat were forever in trouble with Collig, but that was only because he was trying to look out for them and keep them in line.

"Yes, really, Officer Merkel," Collig answered. "You know damned well he has a lot of experience in the drug and gang task force, and we have a feeling this case MIGHT be related; it has some characteristics of those areas. Unless you're suggesting that your personal issues with Officer Vogelthorpe take precedence over a victim's rights..."

Pat flushed, and Joe sighed inwardly. "No, sir," Pat replied, flushed.

"Good. Now wait here for notification from the family or the morgue that we have a positive ID on the victim. I'll head to Frank and Fenton, and be in touch with you soon." He turned and left the room.

As soon as he left, Pat let loose a string of expletives under his breath and slammed his hand on the desk. "Son of a bitch," he grumbled. "Why does Collig do this to me?"

Joe sighed and pat his back. "Who the hell knows? Knowing him, it's a test of some sort. Sorry, man. I'm always in trouble with Collig, so I feel you."

"I know," Pat admitted with a sigh. "But he put us together for a reason again, so he must sense something is off. He always keeps us away from each other unless it's a big case, because he knows we get it done. So what do we do now? Wait?"

Joe smiled. "Hell no. Since when do we follow the rules?"

Pat finally grinned back. "I was worried there for a sec that you actually might listen to him."

"I'm offended," Joe joked. "Listen, why don't we head over to the address of the accident, or murder, or whatever the crime was? Where the body was found? I know it's a crime scene, but we've been known to distract people to get what we want. Then, I'll call Frank and see what's up with him. Sound good?"

"Beats sitting around," Pat agreed. He turned to go, but glanced at Joe. "Come on- I'll drive in the patrol car. I don't feel like dealing with traffic. Mind if we stop off at McDonalds? I'm hungry."

Thinking of his lunch with his brother less than an hour ago, he smiled. He never did get that milkshake. "Did you just ask me that?" he asked, and Pat laughed.

At least if he was going to investigate and probably get into trouble, Pat would be right there with him, as usual.

He headed for the door, waiting for the case to begin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Wait. Go through that one more time, dad," Frank requested of his father as he sat in his father's office at their business.

Fenton Hardy ran a hand through his dark hair as he repeated the story to his eldest son. "I received a phone call from a man named Lorenzo Santitori," Fenton began again. "Less than an hour ago. He told me that his two year old niece is missing and he begged me for help. She was kidnapped from her family home a few hours ago. Apparently, his sister Jessica and her boyfriend, Joshua Flagstone, have been unable to locate her. We need to head over there now," he said, grabbing his coat. "Collig will meet us."

Following his father to his car, Frank entered on the passenger side. Fenton keyed the address on the GPS and then started to pull out of the lot. "I still don't understand," Frank went on. "A baby is missing and the parents didn't call the cops?! That makes no sense."

Fenton glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "I know. Of course, I told him to call the cops immediately, and he agreed, and then I followed up with the call myself. Collig should be there anyway now, but he had another case apparently. Anyway, yes- I agree with you. Why an PI gets a call before the cops I have no idea."

Frank stared out the window momentarily, hoping this was a false alarm. In his line of business, he had seen it all, had dealt with every imaginable crime. In most cases, he was able to detach and think logically, to separate emotion and logic. That was his job. After all, he couldn't help people if he couldn't focus. But every detective, every cop, every first -responder had areas that they liked to avoid at all costs. While Joe wanted nothing to do with terrorism because of his past with Iola, Frank wanted nothing to do with sexual assault cases because of Callie. They both also were particularly sensitive to cases involving children, especially since they had become fathers. However, unlike the first two areas, they both felt compelled to help; they would stop at nothing when kids were involved. The thought that a little child would be hurt gnawed at him as his mind flashed to his own son and daughter, who were even younger than this child.

Finally, they arrived at a trailer park at the far end of Bayport's west side. Getting out of the car, he looked quickly around at the place now crawling with cops and followed his dad to the home in question, where Collig was waiting.

"Fenton, Frank," Collig began, "I'm letting some officers investigate the place and they're already looking into how the child was taken. Teams are out back."

"So it's true?" Fenton asked, and Collig nodded grimly.

Frank surveyed the scene and, immediately, something caught his eye. An expensive Mercedes was sitting in the front of the otherwise poor home and neighborhood. "Whose car is that?" Frank asked immediately.

"Santitori's," Collig answered. "You two go in and interview him and see if he and the parents will tell you the same story they told me. Be quick, because every second matters."

Fenton looked past his shoulder. "Let me come with you," he told his friend. "I need to go over a few things. Frank- you can handle this?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Of course," Frank agreed, and he entered the home as an officer opened the door.

"Mr. Hardy?" a man inquired as he stood to greet Frank. He appeared to be in his late thirties to early forties, with slightly graying dark hair and brown eyes. His appearance was in stark contrast to his environment, as he looked well put together in expensive clothing. He appeared very anxious as he shook Frank's hand.

"Frank," he responded. "I'm here to help."

"I thought it was Fenton?" the man asked, curious.

"That's my father. He's outside. We work together. Please- tell me what you know." He looked around the small living room into the kitchen, mentally surveying the scene. He noted the several pictures of a young couple and a baby, the threadbare surroundings… and the smell of marijuana. "And may I ask where the child's parents are?"

"Lorenzo," the man replied. "Yes. They're outside and speaking with Detective George Kirk." He pulled the curtain back and pointed to a young couple. "They'll be in shortly."

"So tell me why we're here," Frank said to him, cutting to the chase. "I have a lot of questions, starting with why you called us and the parents did not and why the first call was not to the police..."

Santitori sighed heavily. "Look at this place," he said. "Do you think this is the proper place to raise a child?"

Frank raised his brows. "I have no basis to comment on that," he said neutrally. "Please, just tell me what you know."

"Frank," he began nervously playing with his watch, "my sister, Jessica, lives here with her boyfriend Josh and my two year old niece, Stella. It's… she's had a lot of problems."

Frank was trying to follow. "Who? Stella?"

"No- Jessica... and Josh," he replied. "Look at this trailer. It's no place to raise a child. I've been trying to get Jessica to a better place, but she refuses. It's not the right environment for her to get her act together."

"Lorenzo," Frank said pointedly, "I'll be happy to discuss whatever is of concern to you, but I need to help find your niece. Please get to the point."

Lorenzo Santitori met his eyes. "My sister called me this morning hysterical, saying that Stella was missing. She put her to bed last night- _supposedly_ \- and this morning she was gone."

"Why do you say 'supposedly'? Frank asked.

Lorenzo shrugged. "My sister is not always known for being aware of her surroundings or her sense of responsibility."

Frank sighed. "So you're implying she has a drug issue?" he asked.

"Not implying- stating," Lorenzo responded. "A very bad one, as does her low life boyfriend. Stella's father is out of the picture."

"Heroin?" Frank asked, knowing the epidemic in the area.

"Everything," he answered. "But yes. That and cocaine, primarily. My guess is that they had some… packages… in their possession, and hence calling the police wasn't exactly in their plan. So she called me in a panic, and I called your agency. The Hardy name is well known."

"You knew the cops would be involved immediately," Frank replied.

"Of course," Lorenzo stated. "But my sister may have needed some time to take care of … things," he said vaguely, "before the cops arrived."

Frank was incredulous but tried to mask his expression. He could not imagine ever in his life thinking about himself, no matter what the issue, if one of his children was in danger. The only thing that would matter would be getting his child back immediately. Although his first instinct was to place blame on the couple, he forced himself to remain neutral and to listen. One never knew who was telling the truth when being interviewed, especially this early in an investigation.

Realizing that this guy was probably not going to be of any more help, he asked, "May I have a few pictures of the child?"

"Sure," Lorenzo stated immediately. "Please help yourself and keep me up to date with the investigation."

"You're leaving?" Frank asked, surprised, noting how disgusted Lorenzo looked at his surroundings.

"There's nothing more for me to do here," he said evenly. "I trust that you and the police detectives will be more than capable of finding my beautiful niece." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, handing it to Frank. "All of my information is here, and I'll also be in contact with your office. Please… find her." He nodded briefly, picked up his expensive coat and scarf, and left.

For a brief moment, Frank was again struck by the scene. Clearly, the man had a vested interest in his family, but, if Joe was going through a crisis, or, god forbid, Evan was missing, he would never leave his family. He'd move heaven and earth to get help for Joe, would sacrifice everything for his nephew. How could this guy just abandon his sister? Before he could contemplate that further, a tearful Jessica Santitori was led into the house by Detective Kirk, while Frank noted quickly that his father and Chief Collig were interviewing the boyfriend outside.

"Frank," Kirk began, "feel free to speak with Ms. Santitori. We're finishing up outside. It looks like the point of entrance was a window in the child's bedroom. We're putting out an APB and we'll get a press conference going in an hour. We are also issuing an Amber Alert immediately. I'll meet you outside." He turned and left in a hurry.

Frank sighed. What was the matter with people? Kirk had been around for a few years, and Frank knew he was a competent officer and lead investigator. He, too, though seemed to be averse to the environment, turned off by the poverty and drug ridden area. While it certainly wasn't ideal, these were people, for god's sake, and a little baby was missing. Where was the compassion?

"Ms. Santitori?" Frank asked softly when they were alone. She was thin, in her early thirties, with black hair and brown eyes, pale skin, and dark circles beneath her eyes. One look at her and Frank could see the truth of Lorenzo's words. She had the look of an addict, appearing older and more haggard than her age should allow. Nonetheless, he could picture her as she could have been, could see that she was pretty… and scared.

She looked up at him and wiped away tears. She looked completely drained. "I don't know what else to say. I've told the cops everything," she said weakly.

"Please, sit," he told her, and gently touched her arm as he led her to the couch. She looked shocked.

"I'm so sorry for you're going through," he told her in a soft voice, trying to calm her and seeing at once that it was working. "I know how scared you are." She wiped back tears again, but he could tell she was listening.

"I'm a dad, too," he told her. "My little boy is your daughter's age. I would be terrified if something like this happened. Please know that the police will do whatever it takes to find Stella. My dad, brother, and I are private detectives, and we've seen abductions before. We know what to do."

She met his eyes at last. "Did you find the children?" she whispered.

"We found some," he answered honestly. "And the sooner we got involved, the better. This is a good sign that you have us here so early. Please try to have faith."

"You're… nice," she managed, lip trembling. "Thank you. Please. Find my baby." She looked out the window. "He didn't do it," she went on.

"Who?" Frank asked, confused.

"Josh. I know they think he did it. Me and Josh, we've been in trouble before with drugs. You probably know that. My brother likes to tell everyone about me, thinks he can save me and Stella. He hates Josh." She took a shaky breath. "Listen…" she started, confused.

"Frank," he told her gently.

She gave a tiny smile. "Frank," she repeated. "No matter what he told you, I'm clean now. I've been clean, ever since I got pregnant with my baby." She choked back a sob. "I'm tryna fix up my life." She continued crying silently. "But no one wants to help me. I mean, Lorenzo will, but then he'll control everything, and I don't want that. I wanna make it for my baby and show her I can do it and be a role model, you know? But I ain't got a lotta money and I got a bad reputation. I was turning it around, though… for my Stella. I was! I gotta job as a waitress and I was goin' back for my G.E.D. Please- I can't do anything without my baby."

Frank handed her a handkerchief which she gratefully accepted.

"Jessica, you said you're clean. Is Josh?"

"No," she said, and he was surprised by her honesty. "But he's a good guy. He's tryin'. He don't really do too many drugs, though, anymore. Just alcohol now. That's it- I swear. Please don't waste time digging up info on him. I don't want drugs in my life anymore. Someone else has my baby."

"Stella's dad?" he started, but she cut him off.

"He's out of the picture. She has no dad; I don't even know him. I… I was raped," she said simply. "Lorenzo said it was my fault because of how I lived at the time. Maybe it was. But- I got my baby, and she's all good."

Frank felt the color start to leave his face as he flashed to Callie before pushing the thought away. "No," he said to her, finding his voice. "Don't you EVER believe it is your fault. EVER." He had to soften his voice when he realized how intense it had gotten, but the look of relief in her eyes made it worth it as she whispered yet another word of thanks to him.

"You heard nothing at all last night?" Frank questioned, changing tactics. "When did you put her to bed?"

"11:00," she answered. "I got off my shift at 9:00. Josh was watching her. I got home and showered and then played with her a little before I put her to sleep. Don't judge me 'cause it was late."

"I'm not judging you," he answered, kindly. "I understand. I have a little girl, too, and I love to play with her before she goes to sleep. I'm just trying to help. Jessica, is there ANYTHING else I need to know, something you think is important but maybe you were afraid to tell the police? Please- the quicker you come clean, the better chance we have of finding Stella.

She shook her head, but he sensed the hesitation.

"Okay," Frank replied, seeing she wouldn't talk more. "Thank you for your time, and I'll be in touch. Cooperate with the police- do what they ask. If you think of anything at all, call me." He reached into his wallet and pulled out his card, which she took.

"Thanks for being nice," she replied in a small voice.

He smiled. "I hope more people are nice to you. Hang in there. Good-bye."

As soon as he exited the home, he closed the door and sighed heavily. He wanted to believe her, he did, but he'd seen the weed, smelled it as soon as he entered her home. He would have to suggest a drug test to Collig for both Jessica and Josh, just to see what they were hiding, but he couldn't help but feel bad for her. She was going through the worst day of her life, and she needed someone to help her, not scare her. If his child was missing…

Suddenly, he needed to see them. There was nothing else he could do right now, at least for a few hours, and he knew he should rest a bit, as this could be a long, tragic night and he would be awake for a long time. He would ask his dad to drive him back; he was motioning him over anyway. Their role was going to investigate behind the scenes now; he knew that.

Frank held up a finger, indicating for his dad to hold on for a moment. He pulled out his phone and texted Joe to call him in a few minutes. Then he texted his in-laws and let them know he would be picking up the kids on the way home. Finally, he texted Callie that he would be home within the next hour or two with the kids.

Right now, he wanted to spend as much time holding his own babies as he could. He needed to see Callie, to have his family close to him, if even for a little bit, to assure himself that they were all okay and safe, and to tell them he loved them.

Because he needed them. This case, with the two year old, the assault, the tension with the family, was hitting a little too close to home.


	3. Chapter 3

**Note** : _Thank you for the reviews on chapter 2, which are very much appreciated, to the following people: max2013, Hero76, BMSH, ErinJordan, hlahabibty, hbndgirl, EvergreenDreamweaver, sm2003495, and ChrisCorso._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 3

Callie Hardy stretched, just having checked on dinner in the oven, and returned back to the computer at which she had been ceaselessly working since she had returned home. Although it had only been three days since she had been away in Manhattan, it felt like a lifetime. She missed her babies and her husband desperately.

Callie had worked in the city a lot in her breaks from graduate school and in her job in publishing and marketing for two years after, so she was familiar with traveling a lot. But, when she had gotten married and had her son, she knew that she would be a mom full time; she and Frank could well afford it, having saved and invested for years. And she was so blessed to have her children and didn't want to waste a moment without them. Still, when Johnny had died, and had left them a small fortune, they had taken the vast majority of the money to set up the Jonathan Gellers Foundation, which helped underprivileged children who wanted to get into the Arts by providing them with large and sometimes full scholarships to attend college and academies.

Now, the JGF was flourishing. Johnny had affected the lives of so many people, and his fellow actors as well as the producers, directors, and the multitude of other theater people with whom he had worked were making incredible donations and wanted to be a part of spreading the word. Individual schools and communities were getting involved as well via outreach programs. As a result, she was working harder than ever in many different roles as the head of the nonprofit, and she found herself basically working _more_ than full time and having to travel a lot.

She didn't mind, not really, because she liked to feel useful and to challenge herself, putting her degrees and expertise to work. More than anything, she didn't mind because she was emotionally invested in the endeavor. This was for Johnny, and it must be successful… and it was already, far beyond her wildest dreams.

 _If only he was here to see it; to see how loved he was,_ she thought to herself for the thousandth time. She took a deep breath, blinked back the tears that had started threatening a lot in the last month or so. It was February, a month before his birthday; a month also before the two year anniversary of his death.

She missed him terribly.

As she stared at the computer screen trying to make sense of the financials coming in, she found herself getting a headache, and, finally, looked away from the screen. "Let Frank handle the numbers part," she said out loud as she smiled. It always amazed her that, although she and Frank both had Masters degrees from Ivy League colleges, he from Princeton and she from Cornell, their interests and talents could not be more different. Still, they made it work, encouraging each other and always in support of each other's talents.

Before she closed the screen, she noted the time. Frank and the babies would be home soon, and she couldn't wait to see them. She also took a last, fleeting glimpse at the homepage of the JGF, saw Johnny's picture, and sighed sadly. She felt him. He was everywhere lately.

For a moment, she closed her eyes and smiled as a memory surfaced. It was her senior year in college at UCLA, and he had graduated six months before.

" _Johnny!" she sighed, exasperated. "I'm trying to work on this essay. STOP!" She was sitting in their shared apartment and he was supposedly reading scripts while he listened to music. But Johnny couldn't sit still for more than 15 minutes. He was worse than Joe! As she was trying to complete her coursework, he was banging on the kitchen table with two wooden spoons, somehow keeping perfect rhythm as he sang along, also in perfect pitch, to one of the songs on his iPhone._

" _What?" he asked, seeing her gesticulating._

" _You're driving me nuts. Be quiet!" she chastised him._

 _He looked right at her, took his headphones off, and hit the speaker button, blasting the actual music into the room more loudly as he stuck out his tongue at her._

" _Are you even serious right now?" She stood, frustrated, hands on her hips._

" _Nah- I'm fun!" he replied, leaping out of his seat and wrapping one arm around her waist while he took her other hand in his own. "You're the one who is entirely too serious!" With that thought, he pulled her into a dance that fit the beat of the song perfectly and she, never one to refuse a dance, soon found herself dissolving in laughter after three songs had completed and they had managed to twirl all over the apartment._

" _Still mad?" he asked at last, as he dipped her down and kissed her cheek._

 _Giggling, she shook her head no._

 _Finally he pulled her up again. "Now relax! Life's too short, sweetheart. And…" he released her at last, "I know EXACTLY which audition I'm going for. Thanks. You helped to clear my mind."_

 _Before she could even respond, he turned off the music, took one of the spoons and playfully hit her shoulder, and grabbed his stack of papers, pausing only to call "Love you!" as he headed into his room._

 _He landed the part the next day._

Callie chuckled softly at the memory. That was Johnny: carefree, fun, silly, and immensely talented. He was her dearest friend and her greatest support next to Frank. She would choose to focus on those quiet moments- or, not so quiet, but private- moments that had defined their relationship. They were why she was working so hard to make sure that John was remembered the right way; it was the least she could do.

Why were these memories swirling around her so much lately? Maybe she would talk to Joe about it. While Frank would listen and support her, Joe would understand - really understand- what it was like to feel the presence of a loved one. They had discussed privately Iola's presence many times.

Before she could contemplate it further, she heard the doorbell ring and the jingling of keys in the lock. Excited, she ran to the front door and opened it.

Frank broke into a huge smile when he saw her, and JJ started calling, "Mommy!" as soon as he saw her while Laurie started clapping her hands and murmuring "Mama!" Laughing, she bent down and picked up JJ, kissing him several times before putting him down, and then did the same with Laurie, whom Frank was holding up. As they came in, it was freezing cold, and she closed the door behind them. Getting the kids out of their jackets as Frank took off his own, Callie giggled as JJ started running to the TV and Laurie, who had just started walking, half- stumbled, half -crawled after him.

"Hi, Baby," Frank said to her as she smiled up at him. He pulled her into his arms and held onto her tightly. "Mmm," he murmured into her soft hair as he inhaled her perfume. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

Callie closed her eyes against his chest. "If it's half as much as I missed you, then yes, I do."

He cupped her cheek and pulled her into a deep, lingering kiss that left her breathless. "Wow," she moaned softly before Frank kissed her again, even more passionately, and, soon enough, she found herself pushed back against the wall, dizzy with desire. As Frank's hands made their way up the back of her shirt, he began to unfasten her bra as he kissed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. Taking every ounce of self-control she had, she forced herself to pull back and met his eyes. "Welcome home to me," she managed weakly, finally letting out a small laugh as her heart hammered in her chest. "But maybe we want to wait to have sex until our children aren't in the next room watching _Mickey Mouse Clubhouse_."

Frank reluctantly pulled back, flushed himself, but he laughed softly and kissed her nose. "Yup- that would be a mood killer." He had a reckless sparkle in his eyes. "Later, though…don't plan on sleeping much," he whispered huskily in her ear. She blushed.

He took her hand in his own and led her into the family room, where he slipped his arm around her shoulders and she wrapped her arm around his waist as they watched the babies play and caught their breath. Frank smiled, content, feeling the weight of his job lifted when he entered his home. He'd definitely gotten carried away, and he'd have to watch that as his children grew up. He'd just always had such intense chemistry with Callie; she was his home and safety net and he was still madly in love with her after all these years.

"How was your trip?" he asked her, purposefully distracting himself.

"Good. I'll tell you about it over dinner. I'm so glad to be home, though, babe. What about you?" She looked up and sidelong at him. "You texted me about a new case? How's that? I'm not going to lie. I'm sad you'll be out a lot, probably, but at least we'll be in the same town."

Frank sighed, and she could see the tension in his jaw, the slightest heaviness in his eyes. He shook his head. "I'll tell you in a little bit. I may have to run out- I probably will- but I had to see you and the kids." He kissed her head.

"What is it?" she asked him quietly, attuned to his body language, turning to him.

"Missing child," he responded, and she squeezed his waist.

"That's awful," she told him. "I'm sorry, honey."

"And Joe has a murder case," he continued, and she could tell he just wanted to talk. "I think we'll end up on both cases. Not the best start to a Saturday, especially one where I get to see my wife, finally," he sighed. "You know how I feel about these cases involving children, Cal," he added. "It… it gets me." His voice cut off.

"A boy?" she asked him, thinking of how JJ had been endangered over Christmas when he and Joe had been held hostage with other customers by extremist terrorists. Perhaps it was hitting closer to home than usual.

"A little girl," he told her quietly. "She's only two. I hate waiting. I feel helpless."

"Mommy!" JJ called again, running to her, and he hugged her around her leg. "I miss you, Mommy."

Callie felt her heart melt and lifted JJ up again.

"Go get Laurissa," she whispered to Frank. "We'll have dinner soon." To JJ, she said, "Come on, honey! Help Mommy set the table. Can you do that?"

JJ nodded enthusiastically as Callie set him down and let him lead her to the kitchen, holding onto her hand.

Frank watched them walk away, and he heard Laurie say, "Dada! Up, dada!" He smiled, walking to his little girl and picking her up. She kissed him and he kissed her back several times. He walked to the couch and sat down with his daughter, who had started playing with his wedding ring, and he studied her, heart filled with love.

She was so beautiful, still small for her age, having been a preemie, and more fragile than JJ. She looked a lot like Callie, with blonde hair that had just emerged and big, wide brown eyes with impossibly long lashes. But she was a daddy's girl, completely, loved to cuddle with him and give him kisses and insist that he follow her as she tried to toddle all over. They sang songs and laughed and played together, as much as a one year old- _almost-_ could do, and she melted his heart every time he looked at her. He loved JJ just as much, his irascible wild young son, but JJ bonded with everyone, the little life of the party who looked just like him but who had Joe's big personality. And JJ was inseparable from Callie. But Laurie… she was his angel.

"Dada. Kiss, dada!" Laurie cooed. She pursed her lips and he laughed, kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. As he heard Callie call him in for dinner, he sat up, cuddled Laurie, and walked with her to the kitchen.

He paused, so very glad he had come home. He watched his son being silly and dancing with Callie as he stood on the kitchen chair; felt his baby girl in his arms; glanced at his wife, who he loved more than life, his best friend whom he still desired and needed more than ever, and he blinked back tears.

He had been so blessed in his life with his family; his relatives; his friends.

He couldn't help but to think of the call he might receive any moment, the sharpest contrast to his own life: a shattered family, a wayward mother, a little girl lost. And he prayed that they, too, might be so fortunate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joe sipped his hot cocoa as he pulled into his driveway after having visited the scene of the accident with Pat. While they hadn't been able to ascertain much, the skid marks on the road they had found were in opposite directions. The woman had been run over at least twice, something he could have done without knowing.

At least now they had an ID. The woman, Tanya Griffin, had been only 23 years old. According to her parents, who had come to identify the body, the last time anyone had spoken with her, she had been going out with her girlfriends for a night on the town. Vogelthorpe was in the process of obtaining phone records so that Joe could see her last contacts and then he and Pat would take it from there. It was a sad story. With any luck, autopsy results would be available in the next day or two as well, and then they would have a clearer picture of the moments leading up to her death, by shooting, hit and run, sexual assault- who knew what?

Truth be told, he was far more worried about the missing little girl. He had spoken with Frank earlier and it didn't look good. Every hour, every minute in these child abduction cases mattered. The little girl had already been gone almost 20 hours. The situation was bleak. He was planning on meeting up with his brother first thing in the morning at the office to expedite the background of the parents and close associates, as, more often than not, children were taken from those closest to them. He took a deep breath.

He and Frank would always work together on as many cases as possible, but, as they'd gotten older, they had started to find areas that either appealed to them more or that they were better at than the other. He knew he and Frank would always take any case involving a child, but he preferred cases with action and high stakes and going undercover when possible. It was oddly fun to take on different personas and to delve into different worlds. Johnny had tried to explain that to him, but he had never liked to act… until the real world became his stage.

And now he was driven to help women who had been physically or sexually assaulted. Though he would never know or want to know the details of Callie's attack, helping other women healed him a little each time, knowing he was helping to put away a piece of trash that could never again cause harm. One day he would make sure to find out what facility Callie's attacker was in, would come face to face with the animal who had hurt her so badly. But it would take time to get there; he and Frank had never spoken of it, and he honestly didn't trust himself not to kill him... _it_ … himself.

Frank, on the other hand, was brilliant with numbers, could decipher patterns and hidden accounts and anything to do with fraud. He liked international cases and was very good at them, including counter-terrorism tactics and investigations, which he wanted no part of. Frank was also great undercover, but preferred the behind the scenes planning and operations. They were a good team, solid, and they'd relied on each other to save each other's lives countless times. But, with cases involving children, they were both on board, and both, at times, got too emotionally invested. They had to keep each other in check. He could tell by the tone of Frank's voice that he was already invested in the case of Stella Santitori, and he needed perspective.

He grabbed the roses he had stopped by the florist's shop to pick up, got out of his car and finished his drink, and entered his home. Someone else he loved a lot needed perspective, too.

"Hey, baby," he said with a smile as he walked through the foyer into the living room. Vanessa looked up from the couch where she had been sitting, watching TV, as Evan slept in his crib nearby. "I brought you flowers."

Vanessa looked up and gasped. "Oh, Joe-they're beautiful! Thank you!" She went to stand, but Joe shook his head no and carefully laid the flowers on the table behind her. He sat next to her as she scooted over and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck lightly. Vanessa snuggled into his embrace and leaned against him, contented.

"How are you feeling?" he asked her, quietly.

She turned slightly and met his eyes. "Okay. Today was a little hard."

Joe nodded, knowing how important it was to listen. "Go on."

"I mean, there's nothing too much to say," she admitted, as Joe gently brushed back her long, ash blonde hair. He kissed her forehead.

"Let's start with the positive. I called Biff and he's not coming over," Joe joked lightly, and Vanessa managed a smile.

"That's my girl," he encouraged her. "And Evan looks perfectly happy." He gazed at his son momentarily, who was sleeping soundly, holding tight to his Cookie Monster doll. "Did he have a good day?"

"He's so great," Vanessa told him, resting her head against his shoulder. "This age is so precious. I love seeing the world through his eyes."

"His mommy's eyes," Joe agreed, continuing to stroke her hair. It was true; Evan's eyes were much lighter than his, and had Vanessa's shape. "Perfect and beautiful."

Vanessa laughed softly. "I think little boy #2 may have his daddy's eyes," she responded, placing both hands on her stomach. Evan was only nine months old, and she had just turned four months pregnant, yet she was certainly showing, just like she had the first time. "And they don't get more perfect than that."

Joe smiled, gently turned her face to him, and kissed her softly and tenderly. "I know that this pregnancy has been tough on you, babe. But it was sure as hell fun making it happen."

Vanessa blushed slightly but rolled her eyes. "Not disagreeing, but I think we need to discuss some birth control options after this little guy. It's the only way to make sure that we continue to have "fun" without getting interrupted every two minutes."

Joe chuckled. "No argument from me, babe." He hugged her closer, then changed his tone slightly. "How about the rest of the day? You okay? Your mom came over, right?"

Vanessa swung her long legs from the couch and planted them on the ground, sitting up suddenly. She reached for Joe's hand, and he rubbed it gently.

"Yes, she did," Vanessa began. "And it was… good. It always is. It's nice to remember him for the… for the good."

"Oh, Van," he told her, rubbing her back. "That's all you need to remember, babe. The good."

Vanessa nodded, but stood up wearily and walked to Evan's crib, looking down at him. Joe followed, and wrapped his arms around her from behind as she placed her hand on top of his. "I can see him in Evan, you know," she said quietly. "The dimple. He had it. I remember that I used to play with him and I'd always press his cheek and he'd pretend that I was so strong I could I could push in his face and make it stay that way. He said I was the strongest girl in the world. Funny the things you remember."

Joe kissed her neck. Gently, he turned her around. "Baby, I hate to see you like this. I know you get… sad… once a year around his birthday. But this year… it's been easily a month. How can I help you?"

Vanessa shrugged, blinking back tears. "You can't."

"Yes, I can," he answered her. "And I will. Honey, it's been… what?"

"Twenty five years next week," she answered. "I was two when he died."

"Listen to me," he told her, rubbing her cheek with his finger. "Vanessa, I CAN help. Please. You married a detective. How hard can this be? I can find out and put an end to this wondering one way or another, for you and your mom."

"No," she whispered.

"Yes," he responded, firmly but compassionately.

"No," she repeated. She pulled away from him. "I don't… I mean, what if… I…"

"Vanessa," he sighed. "You can't keep doing this, baby. If what? If it's true?" He stepped closer to her. "Then at least you'll know. Because honestly, you're remembering him as if it WERE true, and you've managed to cope with it and still love him despite it. You have nothing to lose. Let me give you closure."

She met his eyes, her own watery. He saw she was wavering slightly.

He rubbed her arms. "I need Biff for this," he said. "I've been thinking about it for years and this year… I knew about the anniversary. Callie's kept her mouth shut for a long time, and he can do the same. Biff has contacts. Please. I will never tell him unless you want me to, but Biff will do whatever I ask him and he won't ask questions. You know that. Release this uncertainty, guilt, and grief now, Van."

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know, babe, but your imagination is running wild. You and your mom think that you know what he did. Let me find out why. You both deserve closure. And you both remember him as a good man. Like you said," he went on, going for the closer, "Evan deserves to know about the man he got that dimple from."

Minutes dragged on. Vanessa had turned again to Evan and Joe breathed evenly, letting her make this decision on her own. So much was going on all of a sudden. Van's dad's birthday, the Santitori case, the Griffin case… and he would be damned if he didn't feel like more was coming. He felt unsettled, and he hated that feeling.

"Okay." The voice was so quiet he barely heard.

"What?" he asked, walking to her.

She turned to him, and he was struck again by her beauty despite the pain in her eyes. "I said okay. Do it," she managed. "I'll tell my mom."

Joe nodded and reached out for her, taking her in his arms and holding her close. "I won't tell anyone else; you know that. It's up to you to share or give me permission to. But don't be scared, honey. This is your DAD, and he gave you life and loved you like crazy-you _and_ your mom- and that's what you should remember. I'll find out the rest, but hold onto what's important."

She hugged him tightly.

"He was right about at least one thing, you know," he whispered into her hair. "You'll be okay. You are the strongest girl in the world."

As he held his wife, Joe closed his eyes and prayed he was right; that what he found wouldn't make it worse. It was a calculated risk, but one he was willing to take. If there was ever anyone worth taking a risk for, it was Vanessa.

Before he could say another word, he felt his phone vibrate and looked down.

Frank.

He reluctantly released Vanessa and reached for the phone, knowing that this was going to be a long night ahead.

And it had just started.


	4. Chapter 4

**Note:** _Thank you to everyone who has read and "Favorited" this story. A special thanks goes to those of you who left reviews on the last chapter, which made my day: Paulina Ann, hlahabibty, sm2003495, EvergreenDreamweaver, Caranath, Drumboy100, BMSH, hbndgirl, max2013, ErinJordan, and ChrisCorso._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 4

Joe arrived at his brother's house close to 10:00 that night. Frank had called an hour ago wanting to discuss the Santitori case with him, and knowing that he should probably be focused and on alert, he'd decided to come over and spend the night. He didn't feel like dragging Vanessa and Evan out in the cold weather. It had worked out, since Vanessa wanted to speak to her mother in person about her father and their plans, and Andrea had agreed to come over.

Callie answered the door, holding Laurie, who was still wide awake. Joe couldn't help but smile; that little girl was adorable.

"Come in," Callie said, ushering him inside."It's freezing!"

"I hear you just got back today," he told her, leaning down to kiss her cheek as he dropped his bag by the grandfather clock and took Laurie from Callie's arms. He kissed Laurie's neck, making her erupt in giggles as she kicked in his arms, excited. "And hi, little girl," he told her, kissing her head again before handing her back to Callie.

Callie nodded. "I did, indeed," she said with a yawn, taking Laurissa. "Nothing like a few days to settle in before you two get involved in a complex case." She smiled at him as she bounced Laurie on her hip. "Come in. I made some cookies when I found out you were coming over. They're cooling in the kitchen."

"Awesome!" he agreed. "Please tell me they're not some ginger root alfalfa lemon curd seed or whatever else you might interpret as a cookie," he told her following her inside. Callie was an exemplary cook and baker, but she, herself, was an extremely healthy eater and had managed to convert Frank… a good 80% of the time. He'd seen Frank give into the occasional steak and potatoes meal after a nice appetizer of nachos.

Callie looked at Laurie, kissing her nose as she laughed. "Uncle Joe is such a silly-head," she said to her. Turning to Joe, she rolled her eyes. "No, Joseph. I'm complicit in clogging your arteries and raising your insulin levels. Chocolate chip cookies and chocolate raspberry graham cracker bars."

Joe crossed his arms. "Please. You know my brother loves this stuff as much as I do! You've even been known to partake once in a while if memory serves me correct."

"You're welcome," Callie replied, scrunching her nose at him.

"Thank you," he dutifully replied, rushing ahead of her into the kitchen to grab three cookies from the tray. "So where's my brother? And JJ? And why is Laur still up?" he asked, breaking off a piece of the cookie and handing it to her, as Callie shook her head disdainfully at the gesture.

"Really, Joe?" she asked.

"Absolutely!" he replied, eyes twinkling. "Gotta make my favorite niece happy!"

Callie fought a smile, pretending she was more offended than she actually was. She had seen how distracted Frank had been this evening and had insisted he call Joe to work on the case of the missing child. At first, he'd refused, wanting to spend the night alone with her, but she knew that his mind wouldn't totally be with her and that he needed to work to feel useful. Finally, he'd agreed and had called Joe, who, of course, had come over, no questions asked, to work beside his brother. How could she be mad at him for that?

"To answer your question," she replied after a minute, "your brother should be down in about 20 minutes, since JJ has been a beast trying to get to bed lately and it's way past his bedtime. Little Miss Laurie over here is overtired because she spent too much time playing with her father today, so I'll take her up when Frank comes down. Oh- and I made up the guest room for you. Thank you for coming. I know you'll help Frank settle down."

Joe chuckled. "A little role reversal, huh?" he joked.

Callie smiled at last. "You know your brother relies on you, Joe. How're Van and Evan?"

"Good," Joe said, avoiding any details. "Andrea is staying over."

"Oh- well, that's good," Callie replied. "I'll call Van tomorrow since I'll be home and see if she wants to come over. I assume you and Frank will be out."

"That'd be nice, sis," he told her. "I'm sure she would like that."

"Go relax inside. Let me get Laurie settled," she told him, and Joe ventured into the expansive, tastefully decorated family room. He remained in awe of how Frank and Callie could still keep their large colonial home so freaking neat with two little ones, though they did have a playroom/ nursery downstairs as well that served to hide a lot of the toys. Still…

A few minutes later, Callie emerged without Laurie but with a large cup of coffee, which she handed to him. At his puzzled expression, she smiled. "I told Frank that you're here. JJ is asleep, and Laurie wanted daddy. He apologized. Give him another half hour and he will be down. In the meantime, I have a whole pot brewing and this to get you started. Fair?"

Joe took a long, slow sip of the coffee, made exactly as Callie knew he liked it. It felt good after the coldness of the night. "Fair," he replied.

As she sat on the couch opposite him, he saw her idly looking out the window. He knew that look and quickly put his coffee on the end table.

"Okay- spill it," he told her. "What's on your mind?"

"What- I…" she began, and he could tell he'd caught her off guard.

"You never sit with me and don't talk," he told her. "And you get this weird fidgety thing you do with your hands."

"A weird fidgety thing?!" she repeated with a small laugh. "I wish you wouldn't play Mr. Detective with me."

Joe sat forward, elbows on knees, hands crossed under his chin. "I'm not wrong."

Callie finally sat straight as well. "Okay, you're not wrong," she admitted. "But you have a ton to discuss with Frank and I…"

"Shaw!" he told her, exasperated, using her maiden name affectionately. "How many times do I have to tell you that you're never a bother to me? Well, at least half the time anyway," he teased her, and felt better as he watched her relax. In a sense, she was right. This case was going to be a nightmare; he had the case he was working with Pat as well that was just getting started; he also had to get Vanessa some answers soon, his top priority, and he would need to speak with Biff by tomorrow. Still he would always make time for Callie, no matter what.

Finally, she relented. "I mean, it's not bad, Joey," she said with a small grin.

"That's a good start," he encouraged her.

She sighed before continuing. "I don't know," she began. "This past month I've felt… off… a little. I've been thinking a lot about Johnny, remembering a lot. I… I FEEL him," she said quietly. "It's so strong at times I almost sense him beside me. That's really all." She looked up and met his eyes. "I knew you'd understand. We've talked a lot about Iola. I just wanted your opinion." She bit her lip, and he could see that his voice really mattered to her. He was touched.

He paused a minute before answering. Before he did, he got up and sat next to her, reaching for her hand, which she took. "I don't think it's strange," he told her, honestly. "You know, I felt Iola the most in moments of uncertainty or when something or some place reminded me of her. Of course, anniversaries and birthdays and things like that sometimes bring it up, or… you know, fire… bombs…" His voice trailed off.

She squeezed his hand. "I know."

He nodded. "I know you do," he replied, squeezing it back. "But I think you need to figure out if it is something that reminds you of him or if you actually know he's here. Look, you are surrounded everyday by him. You head his Foundation and talk about him all day long. And next month… that's going to be hard for you."

Callie took a deep breath and looked down, and he could tell that she really was unsettled. He released her hand and put an arm around her slim shoulders, kissing her temple.

"No… I definitely sense him. It's not just an anniversary thing," she said in a low voice.

"Bad memories or good?" he questioned further.

She smiled softly as she looked down at her hands. "There really aren't bad memories with him," she said softly. "There were bad times and circumstances, certainly… but he helped make them better, you know?"

"I understand," he told her, leaning his head against hers for a brief moment.

She nodded, silent.

"My advice to you is, then," he replied quietly as well, "to think about why it might be happening. And… I mean, talk to him. Ask him."

Callie turned to face him, surprised. "What?" she asked.

He didn't back down. This bonding over the supernatural was another special connection between them that no one else would ever understand, and he loved that he was no longer embarrassed to discuss it with her and that she was so open with him.

"I guess I could do that," she said at last. "Maybe it would help to clear my mind."

"Exactly," he told her. "Just be open and unafraid. Johnny would never hurt you. If he's reaching out, it could only be for good, right? Iola and Johnny are our guardian angels; I believe that. We have to trust our instincts and let them know we feel them. Far be it for me to try to explain why. All I can tell you is that any time I have ever really felt Iola with me, nothing bad ever happened and I ultimately ended up more at peace."

"Joe?! Sorry!" Frank was bounding down the stairs and calling into the room. "I'm grabbing coffee. Be right in!"

Callie and Joe stood, and she smiled up at him. "Thank you," she told him. "You helped me. You always do."

"You're welcome," he replied, being serious for once. He knew it wasn't the time to tease her.

"I'm going to say good night to Frank and leave you two to your case," she told him, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Good luck. Love you."

"Love you, too," he told her. "Remember that if all the cookies are gone in the morning."

She sighed but smiled as she headed to Frank, waving goodbye to him. Joe waved back. If only the cases could be so easy to solve.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank strode into the family room with his own cup of coffee almost ten minutes later.

Joe raised his brow. "Took you long enough to say goodnight to your wife," he joked, making his brother blush. He did enjoy getting under Frank's skin once in a while.

"Thanks for coming over," Frank replied, ignoring him. "Seriously. I know it's late and you probably were settled in."

"Nah," Joe replied, finishing the third cookie. "The night is young. The coffee is brewing. Your wife made some kick ass cookies. Life doesn't get better than this!"

Frank let out a laugh. "You need more of a life then," he replied.

Joe stared right at him before leaping to the other couch to grab Frank's arms and begin a wrestling match that lasted a good five minutes before Frank finally gave in. "Sneak attack," Frank huffed. "Not fair, or I would've taken you down."

Joe smiled as he huffed back, releasing him. "Right. Cause the bad guys always announce they're coming."

Frank stood up and stretched, but smiled at his brother. "You're ridiculous, you know that? It's 11:00 at night, we've both had a long day… and you're 27 years old!"

"Your point?" Joe joked. Before his brother could reply, he sauntered into the kitchen and returned with both plates of cookies. He found Frank at his computer, with a second laptop fully charged for his own use.

He placed the trays down on the end table, but not before he handed Frank two separate cookies, which his brother reached for with no hesitation. Ha- he knew it. Callie would never convert him fully to the dark side.

"All right, bro," Joe began, as he propped up his feet and grabbed the laptop. "Fill me in. What do you want me to look for?"

"I met with Jessica Santitori today," he began. "I told you all the details. I just… I feel terrible for her. It's like people were dismissing her fear- almost blaming her- for the baby's absence, just because she lives in poverty."

"Okay," Joe nodded. He saw how the case was affecting his brother, and he knew he had to balance him out. To those who didn't know him, Frank could come off as serious and almost cold, because he was quiet and analytical, and he internalized a lot. But Joe knew better than anyone that Frank wasn't totally like that. He was funny and sweet and, though he was physically and mentally very strong, he was a deeply compassionate person who sometimes needed to take a step back from a case. He fondly reflected that so many people thought that it was he who was emotional and distractible, but that was only partly true. He and Frank were alike in many ways; they just demonstrated those characteristics differently. "I know, Frank, but you can't worry about that now. What's bothering you?"

Frank swiveled the chair around to meet Joe's eyes. "She's lying," he said quietly. "I feel for her, but she knows something that she's not saying. I also smelled pot as soon as I walked in. She swore to me that she's clean, and that her boyfriend, Josh, is a recovering alcoholic, but does nothing else. I told Collig and he called when you were on the way over. They both agreed to a drug test. Weird, huh?"

Joe shrugged. "Why is it weird? They'll fail it, but at least they look like they're cooperating with the authorities, right? Maybe they don't know know how long marijuana stays in the system if they've never taken a test before, and if they didn't hit a joint in the last day or so, then they think they're clear."

"Maybe," Frank agreed, though Joe could tell he was still uncertain.

"Is anyone digging into Josh's past?" Joe asked. "How long have they been together? How about the biological father? Her parents? The brother? The…"

"Whoa!" Frank cut in, and he chuckled a bit. "I guess WE are looking into his past. Why don't you do that? I have his info: everything, from jobs worked to social security. I'll look into hers. I think they've been together only a few months, according to her brother, Lorenzo- he's the one who called me. I explained all this to you," he reminded him. "Their parents are dead, and she said she had no idea who would want to take the baby."

"What about the ex?" Joe questioned.

"Out of the picture," Frank replied quickly.

Joe squinted at him. "What aren't you telling me?" he pressed. "You know damned well that we have to look into family members first. What does 'out of the picture' mean? Is he dead? Is he…"

Frank's face took on a serious expression and his eyes became cloudy. "He's out of the picture," Frank replied. "She was... raped."

Joe sucked in a breath. For a moment, he didn't know what to say. He knew the horror that word brought up for his brother, though they had never spoken of what had happened to Callie. He only knew that he would be there for his brother if he ever did want to talk. "Okay then," he said at last. "So the ex is out of the picture… as you said."

Frank gave the palest of smiles. "Yup."

"Send me the info on Josh Flagstone," Joe told him. "Let me get on it. You work on Jessica Santitori. Any word yet on the baby?" he asked again.

Frank shook his head. "No. The APB is up; the Amber Alert's been issued."

"I know," Joe replied. "That loud beep scared the crap out of me before. I almost spilled my hot chocolate. Would've given 'hot pants' a whole new meaning."

Frank snorted. "Glad I brought that up. Anyway, Collig has a huge part of the PD on it and the neighboring towns and counties are on it as well and have set up counterpoints all over the city."

"Good," Joe replied simply, and opened his laptop. He saw Frank turn to his computer screen as well. About forty-minutes into digging, he had uncovered some interesting facts about the guy. Before he could start making sense of it, his phone rang. Frank was so in the zone he didn't even appear to hear it.

Joe stood and stretched and walked into the kitchen to fix another cup of coffee. "Whaddup?" he said into the phone, recognizing Pat's number. "Are you still on duty, bro?"

He heard Pat laugh at the other end. "Pulling a double. The overtime pay doesn't suck and I have a wedding to plan for. Besides, Collig switched my whole schedule around and has a trooper from upstate to cover me while we're on the case full time."

"Nothing like a relaxing Saturday night," Joe agreed. "So what's happening?"

"I just got the call on Tanya Griffin," Pat went on. "Collig expedited everything. Turns out the cause of death was the ten bullet holes and not being run over."

"Well, that would do it," Joe replied, dryly.

"Yeah," Pat went on, chuckling a bit. "But she apparently was also run over postmortem as well; could have been accidental hits since her body was in the road, or part of the murder. We're waiting for the CSI to get back to us about that. But two odd things I wanted to run by you."

"Go ahead," Joe said, focusing now.

"This woman had a ton of drugs in her system, plus her B.A.C. was over two times past the legal limit. And it turns out that she was involved in a drive by shooting last year. She wasn't the shooter, but she was booked as the driver. I'm going to read up more and fill you in."

'Okay," Joe noted. "She was hitting the town with her girlfriends… we think… so she probably got wasted. Maybe we should look and see if she's involved in the gang, itself. It might be a place to start."

"Probably," Pat concurred, 'but here's the thing I can't figure out. Based on the ME's report… she was NOT sexually assaulted."

"What?" Joe asked, surprised. "But her underwear was around her ankles."

"Riddle me that," Pat answered. "I know. Phone records are coming in tonight, so we need to meet up tomorrow. I'll text you when they come in. That good?"

Joe sighed. "I'll be there," he promised his friend before hanging up. He was glad that he was used to working on relatively little sleep from years of partying too much when he was younger to working this crazy job to now being a dad. For a moment, he contemplated donating his body to science if he died from a lack of sleep just to see how much the human body could endure. Tomorrow was going to be a hell of a long day.

"Joe! Come here!" he heard Frank call, and, forgetting his coffee, he ran into the other room.

"What's up?" he asked, standing behind his brother, who remained sitting at the screen.

"Look-" Frank pointed at the screen.

Joe stared at the screen, but all he saw were numbers and accounts, and that Frank had multiple tabs open. "Um…" he began.

"Look," Frank repeated. "Here." He pointed to a large deposit. "I was able to hack into Jessica's accounts and there's a CD. How the hell did this girl get $20,000 …. Two weeks ago? She supposedly has no money."

Joe gasped. "Wait-" he began as he finally realized what he had been trying to piece together. "Josh Flagstone was booked for minor trafficking and possession offenses multiple times over the past few years," he noted. "The last time he got out of jail was only six weeks ago, and that was for…" Joe turned to the couch and picked up the laptop. "Collusion. With an Angelo Tanzini, on a trafficking charge again. Why does that name ring a bell?"

Frank's brow furrowed. "I don't know, but it does seem familiar," he agreed. He turned to the computer in front of him and Google'd the name.

At the same time, both brothers grew silent as the weight of what they saw descended on them.

"That's not good," Joe said at last.

"No, it's not," Frank replied, picking up his phone and ushering Joe to follow him. "We have to go now."

Joe heard Frank speaking to Detective Kirk as he reached for his jacket, and he did the same. Josh Flagstone and Jessica Santitori were somehow mixed up with Angelo Tanzini, of the Tanzini crime family, known for murder, extortion, and the drug cartel. And now a baby girl had been kidnapped.

They had to be connected. And that did not bode well for finding this little girl alive.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note** : _Many thanks to those of you who have left such kind feedback. I always love to hear from people and appreciate knowing what you think. Thank you especially to those of you who left a review on chapter 4: Hero76, sm2003495, hlahabibty, max2013, Erin Jordan, EvergreenDreamweaver, BMSH, Paulina Ann, ChrisCorso, Caranath, and hbndgirl._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 5

At 3:00 a.m., Joe sat in Frank's car outside Jessica Santitori and Josh Flagstone's small mobile home. A few members of the press remained behind, updating the breaking story hourly. He'd spent the past two hours working with Detective Kirk investigating the connection to the Tanzini family, and it didn't look good. Frank had gone inside to interview Santitori and Flagstone again with Collig.

Flagstone's history, especially, was complex. He had been in and out of trouble for most of his life. Most recently, less than two months ago, he had been released from prison for helping to traffic heroin from NYC into the suburbs surrounding Bayport, which apparently was a lucrative business given the abundance of high schools and colleges in the area. Heroin overdoses in the area were becoming commonplace, and, through digging around in the files, Joe had begun to make a connection between mob related arrests and drug arrests. All too often, the names Tanzini and Flagstone kept appearing. He had passed on the information to Kirk and was waiting for Frank to appear.

He didn't have to wait long. Frank opened the driver's side door to the car and sat down, rubbing his forehead.

Joe couldn't resist teasing him. "You look exhausted, bro. Old age catching up to you?"

Frank just turned and glared at him. "Not now, Joe."

Joe chuckled and filled his brother in on what he had found. He concluded, "so, basically, there has to be a connection to the Tanzini family. That's gonna be Kirk's and I assume Collig's contact point next. I think Kirk is trying to arrange something as we speak. Assuming that goes through, there'll be a meeting soon- early tomorrow… today, I guess."

Frank sighed and then rubbed his eyes. "Okay."

Joe watched Frank, a little concerned. "What did you find out?" he asked him, more gently.

"She lied," Frank admitted with sigh. He shook his head. "I knew it. I knew she was holding something back before. I should have put more pressure on her. Now… who knows what it may have cost her daughter?"

"Hey," Joe said gently, hating to see Frank upset. "This isn't your fault, Frank."

Frank shrugged, and Joe could tell it was weighing heavily on him.

"So what did she lie about?" Joe asked, trying to pull Frank out his uncharacteristic funk.

"She knew that Josh … she claims JUST Josh, but who the hell knows?... was involved with Tanzini. She claims that they're trying to get out of debt, but that they're clean now- she still swears it. Flagstone, though, cracked under pressure. He was trafficking the heroin and apparently took a cut of the profits that he wasn't entitled to. So it's entirely possible that he pissed off enough of the wrong people and that the baby might have been taken in retaliation."

Joe's eyes grew wide. "Why are they still in the house?" he asked. "They should be in custody. Plus, Collig and Kirk have to make contact with Tanzini now."

"They are," Frank answered quietly as he stared ahead. "They were taken out of the back of the house about ten minutes ago. Collig is trying to avoid the Press. He's also making them both submit to the drug testing as soon as they arrive at the station. But when push comes to shove, that is still the child's mother and…" His voice trailed off.

"Why would she lie when her child's life is at stake? I don't understand people sometimes," Joe added.

"I know," Frank replied quietly. "It gets worse."

"How could it get worse than that?" Joe asked.

Frank turned to him. "Because we could be wasting time on the whole mob/ drug thing," he answered. "While Collig was speaking with them alone, I was trying to research the neighbors, just in case. Know what a quick search revealed?"

"I can't imagine," Joe replied. "But seeing this neighborhood, it's probably nothing good."

"You're right," Frank answered grimly. "What concerns me is a known pedophile is about three steets down. Collig is sending an officer there now."

Joe cursed under his breath.

"Why wouldn't she just be honest?" Frank asked quietly, a faraway look in his eyes. "God, Joe. Every second matters in these cases. If my children were missing…"

Joe sighed and reached over to squeeze Frank's shoulder. "Of course. But you're a good, decent person. Your children are your life. These people… they're not...pillars of society." He shook his head disdainfully.

"We're privileged, Joe," Frank answered, and Joe could see how contemplative he was. "Have you ever thought about that?"

"Honestly, no," Joe replied. "Yes, we've had good fortune and good parents, a good upbringing, but we worked our asses off for all we have. Where are you going with this?" he queried.

"The people who live here didn't grow up like we did. They didn't have solid homes and family. Most of them didn't go to college. Poverty begets poverty, Joe. I find it hard to blame people for their circumstances."

Joe tried to be patient. "Frank, you know that I love this about you- that you care so much about people." He smiled at his brother. It was true. Despite Frank's shy nature and serious facade much of the time, as well as his ability to chase down and deal with the worst of the worst criminals and be tough as hell with them, Frank saw the best in people, was the eternal optimist in that regard. He wasn't. "But people have choices. You're right- people can't be blamed for their poverty, but they can be blamed for their choices. They can be blamed for dealing drugs and killing people and not availing themselves of any chance they have to better themselves. I know you're thinking about Santitori and Flagstone now. But they freaking LIED about Josh's interaction with a mob family and drugs; didn't tell you about their sketchy neighbors. You can't change the world."

"I know," Frank answered softly. "But that baby girl... she has a chance. She's only two."

"We'll do our best," Joe assured him. "We always do." He looked at his watch and let out a breath. If they were lucky, they'd be back at Frank's house by 4:00. Pat would be texting him sometime in the morning to deal with the murder case, and, even more important, he needed to call Biff and see him as well. He owed Vanessa some answers, and he would get them for her. She would always be his first priority.

"Ready to go?" Frank asked. "We might be able to sneak in 2 or 3 hours of sleep before we have to get going again." He thought briefly of Callie, of the evening that he had initially planned for them, and sighed inwardly. It would have to wait. Right now, he just wanted to see her, to see his babies, one more time, to assure himself that they were safe; to remind himself how grateful he was every day for all of them.

"You know it," Joe agreed, stifling a yawn. He planned to use the car trip back to Frank and Callie's to think of what on Earth he was going to say to Biff without really saying a word.

This was going to be a long, long few days.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At 8:00 the next morning, Joe knocked at the door to Biff's townhome, and the door immediately opened.

Biff held out a cup of coffee to him which Joe gratefully accepted as he stifled a yawn and he made his way into the living room, plopping on a couch.

"It's only for you I'd get up this early on a Sunday," Biff told him, sipping his own coffee. He disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared a few minutes later with a few donuts which he set down in front of Joe.

"You own a gym why?" Joe asked him, chuckling and helping himself to the donut.

"The ladies love the hot guys," Biff answered with a smile.

"You're engaged, buddy. No more ladies," Joe answered. "Not that you had any before Karen took mercy on your sorry butt and agreed to marry you." He smirked.

Biff crossed his arms. "The club last night was GREAT, by the way: drinking, dancing, hotties. How was changing diapers?"

Joe snorted. "Normally, I'd say it was great, thanks," he replied, finishing the donut. "You'll see, man. Nothing like being a dad. Hopefully, your kid will have Karen's looks and brains and your… name on the birth certificate."

"You are such a jackass," Biff responded, but he rolled his eyes. "Why did you say 'normally'? When Vanessa called to cancel our plans, I assumed it was because you got a case- no other reason to cancel video game final rounds. Did the little guy keep you up?"

"Not unless the little guy is my brother," Joe answered, sipping his coffee. "No. I wish I was with Vanessa and Evan last night, but I spent the night at Frank and Callie's. Long story- we're dealing with two cases right now. Well, I am at least."

"That kidnapping case?" Biff asked. "It's all over the news."

Joe sighed. "Yeah. That's the more important one at the moment. It's bad, bro."

Biff nodded, serious for the moment. "So why do you need me? How can I help?"

Joe took a deep breath and met Biff's eyes. Biff had been a second brother to him throughout his whole life; had had his back when it seemed no one else did; had gotten into scrapes and trouble and mischief, serious and not, together with him. As much as he joked with him about being ridiculous, and he was, Joe trusted him implicitly.

"I need a favor, Biff," he said. "A serious one. I'm not joking now." He sat up and crossed his hands, looking right at him. "Frank doesn't even know, and there are things I can't even tell you, and you'll have to respect that. It's for Vanessa, and I could do it on my own, but having you would make it a hell of a lot easier."

"Whatever you need," Biff replied, no hesitation at all in his voice. "Talk to me."

"I'm telling you what I can with Vanessa's permission," Joe began quietly. "Callie knows some of it from years ago, but nobody else knows this, and it needs to stay between us...forever… unless she chooses to tell people."

"Do you even have to say that to me?" Biff asked.

"Normally, no," Joe answered honestly. "But because this is for my wife, then yes, I do."

"You have my word," Biff replied, sitting across from him. "Come on, bro. What do you need?"

"You know that Vanessa's dad is dead," Joe began at last. It was strange saying the words out loud after so many years. With a small start, he realized that it must be exactly why Frank still couldn't talk to him about Callie's attack. Even now, with his best friend, and with Vanessa's permission, it still felt like a small betrayal.

"Yeah- he died when she was a kid, right? Cancer? Andrea raised her alone."

Joe sat back and chose his next words very carefully. "Kind of. He died when she was a kid, yes. But not from cancer."

"Okay," Biff acknowledged. "Go on."

Joe looked right at Biff. "He was an undercover federal agent who died on a sting operation."

"Whoa," Biff replied. "Huh."

"The problem, Biff," Joe continued, serious, "is that Van and Andrea never got the complete story on how he died. Some reports filtered back that he died a hero; he saved someone's life. Other reports… they weren't so flattering."

"As in what?" Biff asked.

"As in…" Joe paused for a moment, "he flipped sides; turned mob informant; killed an officer."

Biff's eyes grew wide. "Holy shit."

"I have to help her, Biff," Joe responded. "She's under a lot of stress. Every year on his birthday, she wonders who her father really was and it hits her hard. When Evan was born, it brought all of her doubts to the surface again. She remembers her dad as a superhero; Andrea does as well. But they've never been supported as they should have been by the feds and the police, because details were always sketchy. The feds thanked her for his service but then denied Andrea all of his pension benefits; the local cops were much more supportive, but always told her that they couldn't release any details other than to say he was killed in the line of duty. She wants to tell our kids about her dad, but she doesn't know what to say, and it's killing her. I … I think she may have wanted to name Evan… and now the new baby… at least partially after him, but she refuses to think about who he could have been. I told her it was time to get answers, good or bad, so at least she would know, and finally she agreed."

"All right. Well, I could see how that secret would have gotten to her. Your family- you're connected to them and identify with them. If it turns out bad… yeah, I could see that affecting her." His blue eyes held only sympathy. "How can I help?"

"He died in Atlantic City 25 years ago," Joe replied. "It's pretty complicated, but I can tell you that it involved a backroom gambling operation at the Tropicana. I know you know that city. Your construction firm has business down there, and the two of us… we dealt a little in gambling, as I recall, back in the day."

Biff smiled. "You need me to get in touch with people who know people who know people…. And help arrange some meetings with some hustlers from back then."

"Something like that," Joe replied. "You have the gambling connections… or you used to. Your dad did. If I get you a little more info, can you help me track down some people who may not want to be tracked down? I know it sucks to go back to that time; the two of us were a hot mess at 19 or 20. But if you could pull a few strings…"

"Consider it done," Biff told him. "When do we leave?"

"Wait," Joe replied. "WE are not doing anything. I will go and meet your contacts and based on what I already know, go from there."

"Nope," Biff replied. "Listen, Joe. I don't like this. I understand why you're doing it, but it could be dangerous. That's why we got away from that world and straightened ourselves out. If Frank was going, I would back off, but he's not. You need one of your brothers with you if shit goes down. That's it. All or nothing."

Joe cursed quietly. "That wasn't why I told you."

"Then call Frank," Biff replied, just as evenly, and he held out his phone. "You won't go to this alone. Besides…" he gave a small smile, "It's not exactly a stretch to think we took a few days off to go to AC and kick back a little. You want people not to question you? Go with me and don't disappear. Van already knows you'll go and Kar's pretty chill when she knows I'm with you. So when do we leave?" he repeated.

Joe's phone started ringing and he saw it was Pat. Great. The murder case. Plus, the kidnapping one. And now a trip to AC.

If all went okay, he could wrap or mostly wrap the first two cases up in few days. He had a little over a week to get Vanessa answers.

"Possibly Wednesday?" he said at last.

Biff nodded. "Wednesday it is. And do both of us a favor and tell Van to tell your brother you'll be away … or you tell him. He doesn't need to know why, but he should be aware in case something bigger than both of us goes down and we need a little backup."

Joe nodded. Biff was right. He looked at his phone and saw the text from Pat come through. "Meet me at the office ASAP."

Joe stood and hugged Biff tightly. "Thanks, man. For everything."

Biff returned the embrace before pulling away. "Make it up to me by planning a hell of a bachelor party whenever we finally set the date. Like, it should be stupid crazy shit insane."

Joe snorted. "That's all we ever do," he replied with a laugh. Thanking Biff again, he headed to the door…

...to see Pat.

God only knew where this day would take him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note:** _Here is a quicker update than usual. I'll post again this weekend._ _Thank you to those who have been kind enough to Favorite or Follow this story, and special thanks to those who left reviews on the last chapter: EvergreenDreamweaver, Caranath, Paulina Ann, sm2003495, BMSH, ErinJordan, ChrisCorso, hbndgirl, and max2013. It's always great to get feedback. :)_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 6

Frank was exhausted. It was 7:00 a.m. and he was meeting up with Chief Collig and his father, along with Detective Kirk, to receive an update on the Stella Santitori case. Currently, he was waiting in Collig's office, a place where he really should have had his own desk for the amount of times he found himself there over the years.

He had gotten home close to 4:15 and hadn't even bothered to try to sleep. Little things kept interrupting his rest: Why had Jessica lied? What had been the outcome of the investigation into the pedophile who lived close by? When would the results of the couple's drug test come in? What role did Lorenzo Santitori play in all of this? Would a known mob family go after Josh by kidnapping his girlfriend's baby? Surely, other unsavory methods could have been used to deal with him. If Tanzini did have Stella, it wouldn't be good. There would be no reason to keep that child alive. His stomach kept churning when he thought of it. She was just JJ's age… a bit older. And she was the only one innocent one in all of it.

He knew he would have to be professional and concentrate, and he would do so, but these cases with kids and what had happened to Jessica… if that was even the truth… hit too close to home. So, when he had returned last night, he had spent some time watching both his babies sleep, so peacefully, and prayed that they would always remain safe. And he'd kissed Callie's cheek as she slept and went downstairs after, tinkering around. He saw that Callie had left him a note that she had been called into work again tomorrow by the JGF's lawyer and that she would be asking his mom to watch the kids for a bit.

All he wanted to do was to make sure that the little girl was safe and then lock himself in his bedroom with Callie for hours, show her _exactly_ how much he'd missed her, as his children would sleep soundly in their rooms, and then spend the next few days together as a family. The thought made him smile.

Detective Kirk entered the room while Frank noted Collig speaking with Fenton outside. The look on his face was serious. "We've had a break in the case," Kirk informed him. "Your dad and Collig are working on it as we speak, but I wanted to fill you in."

Frank stood at once. "Has she been found?" he asked, preparing himself for bad news.

"No," Kirk replied. "But we know where she is… we think. We reached out and made contact with Angelo Tanzini," Kirk began.

"The head of the family," Frank replied. Now that he was aware of the family, he remembered small encounters with them over the years, and they were a nasty, vindictive bunch; at least the lower level members were. The upper level was where the real dangers lay hidden. Like the many mob families prevalent in the area for years, they were involved in everything from extortion to gambling to the drug cartel, the kind of family that made people disappear after a kiss on the cheek to bid them farewell.

"Yes," Kirk replied. "Initially, Angelo denied any knowledge of the kidnapping, but later he changed his tune. We have a recording that has already been played for the FBI investigators, as well as your dad and Chief Collig. Please… listen."

He hit a button that was hooked up to the nearby phone system. The message was simple and to the point: Tanzini was willing to negotiate a return of the child in exchange for all monies returned. He would appear with his nephew in an abandoned part of town, an old industrial plant where the specifics of the deal could be "laid out clearly."

"We leave in five minutes," Kirk said, and he exited the office.

A moment later, Fenton Hardy appeared, the stress showing on his face. "What do you think?" he asked Frank.

"I don't like it," Frank replied honestly. "I… it's got too many holes."

Fenton sighed heavily. "That's what I think. I told the federal agent in charge, and Collig, but they feel as though they have no choice but to see it through. What's bothering you about it?"

"A lot," Frank admitted. "Normally, these guys who've been around so long don't leave evidence like this. Angeo Tanzini is, for all intents and purposes, a godfather of the family. He wouldn't just admit to kidnapping, even if he didn't directly do it. He would have to know all calls that come in here are recorded. Plus, I mean, come on. Yeah, Flagstone stole the money, but he was in commission of a crime when he did so. It's not like that's reason to give Tanzini the money back when he got the money selling dope in the first place."

Fenton looked at Frank. "I said the same thing. Collig agrees. The feds and Kirk don't. Officer Volgelthore, who's a specialist in the area, is on the fence. I think they're caving into pressure to get this case closed. Missing children cases don't sit well… ever… and the thought that a major New York crime family is right here in Bayport would scare people. They've ALWAYS been here, Frank. You know that. They're everywhere- crime knows no limits. People believe what they want to and ignorance is bliss. There would be a mass panic if people knew what we dealt with every day."

"I know," Frank agreed. "I guess we don't have a choice here. Let's see what we can find out. Maybe there's a chance this baby is still alive. Maybe. I guess the random pervert neighbor is out now?" he questioned.

"Apparently," Fenton agreed. "Ready?"

"Yup," Frank answered, wishing his brother was there. He could always use Joe's perspective. Then again, part of him was glad that Joe wasn't around. Even after all of these years working together, and trusting Joe with his life, he hated to see Joe anywhere near danger. And this was going to be dangerous, no question.

Determined to do their best, they followed the agents and officers out of the building, knowing what a fragile situation was in their midst.

Frank adjusted his gun as he followed his dad to the car. Best case scenario, they'd all come back alive and in one piece with that little girl.

He tried not to think about the worst case scenario.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Callie checked her watch for the upteenth time hoping that this day would end. She had arrived home yesterday only to have Frank and Joe run out last night on at least one very important case. As result, she had been home with the babies by herself, which she loved, but JJ was irritable and Laurie kept waking up, and she'd gone on very little sleep. Seeing the stress on Frank's face and the tension in his shoulders as he'd told her briefly about the case had been enough for her to know that she had to let him work with Joe; that he'd needed to do that. But she felt his absence acutely and couldn't wait for him to return home so she could feel his arms around her.

She had planned on staying home today and asking Vanessa over, but she'd been called to an important meeting at the Foundation and she had to go. Laura Hardy was watching JJ and Laurissa at the house now, and Callie had made sure to call for flowers to be delivered to her home tomorrow as a token of thanks. She didn't know what she would do without the help of her parents and inlaws at times.

Last night, when she had spoken with Joe, she had felt better, knowing she had to think about his words and about Johnny. But he had been right: Johnny would never hurt her, and therefore she had learn to be less unsettled and more… present.

"Callie?" Don Anllow, the JGF lawyer, cut into her thoughts.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly. "Yes, I approve the new hirings, and everything for the new office space looks good to go in a few months. What do I need to sign?"

Don smiled. "Nothing yet, dear. The documents will be drawn up and you'll have them by the end of next week. We've gotten some excellent donations as of late, and the letters are stacking up. In fact," he went on, "we have about 50 letters and over 200 emails to get through from the last two days alone."

Callie groaned before she replied. "I know, and that's when I was working every day! We definitely need help. Do we need to do this all today?' she asked, eyes wide. "I left the kids with my mother in law and I don't want to inconvenience her. Plus, I miss the babies. I need to see them."

Don shrugged. "You're the boss," he admitted. "But you're going to have a heck of a long day tomorrow, even if I can get my paralegals on it, if you don't at least start."

"Fine," she said with a sigh. "But I am not staying past 5:00, no matter what."

"Yes, ma'm," Don told her with mock formality as he turned to the computer. "I'll start with the emails and sort valid leads from nonsense. You start with snail mail."

Callie laughed in spite of herself. "Don, you're 68 years old, and, while still quite dapper and charming," she went on, a glimmer in her eye, "shouldn't it be the opposite?"

Don adjusted his bow tie. "Now, Mrs. Hardy, I have heard I am indeed adept at adapting to modern times, and that, according to my sources and my own interactions with you, you have been deemed an old soul. Do not attempt to out-talk a lawyer; we have answers for everything when we want to get our way." He winked at her, and returned to the screen.

Callie chuckled. Don was a good man, old-fashioned, polite, and razor sharp, and he knew Frank and Joe personally and had come highly recommended. He had proven to be an excellent resource on many different cases, and she just genuinely liked him, though he was right-he DID have a way of getting what he wanted.

Over the next ten minutes, she called Laura Hardy to explain that she would be late. Laura graciously agreed to spend as much time with her grandbabies as possible and, if she was put out, certainly didn't indicate it at all. She also managed to chit chat with JJ and say hi to Laurie, and, because she was feeling a bit naughty tonight, to send a suggestive little text to her husband with a GIF of a passionately kissing couple. She smiled, feeling the heat rush to her cheeks, still feeling like a teenager in love when she saw Frank. She was truly fortunate.

One by one, Callie started opening the letters. She often found herself smiling or blinking back tears when she read letters from people whom Johnny had personally affected, or who were influenced by his work. People were so generous and kind and willing to help as they could, and every time she noted that, it helped her heal a bit more, though his presence was still around her. She found herself crying quietly as the cast of _Miss Saigon,_ in which he had starred for a brief eight weeks when Broadway had a "Hollywood guest star" period to aim for a resurgence in more established plays, wrote to say that they wanted to dedicate the profits from one night in the spring to the Foundation.

Briefly, she flashed to the moment:

John, in the role of American G.I. sergeant Chris Scott, his perfect tenor voice booming, " _Why, God? Why this Face?/ Why such beauty in this place?/I liked my memories as they were/ But now I'll leave, remembering her/ Just her…" ***_

 _Anyone who had had a doubt about the acting chops of the tv and movie star had been halted in their tracks as they watched him light up the stage, heard his powerful voice. And she had been so happy for him as he received standing ovation after standing ovation doing what he loved most, live theater, where his talent had always mattered more than his looks._

" _Was it okay?" he'd asked her privately after the show, as she and Frank, Joe and Vanessa, and scores of other personal friends had congratulated him and met the cast._

 _She'd looked at him, as they had escaped to his dressing room while everyone was schmoozing with the actors, a treat Johnny had arranged ahead of time. "Are you kidding?" she'd told him. "You were magnificent."_

" _You'd tell me the truth, right?" he'd asked her. "Like, if I sucked, and I'm going to get slammed by Page Six tomorrow, I'd like the heads up."_

 _He was joking, but she saw the slightest doubt in his eyes, realized again how close they were. He had no one except for her; no family anymore. He trusted her to tell the truth. She'd held his hands for a moment, smiled up at him, and gently repeated, "you were magnificent."_

 _And he'd paused for just a moment before breaking out into his megawatt smile, crushing her to him in a huge hug, and kissing her head. Then, he'd grabbed her hand and led her back to Frank and the cast._

She looked at the picture of him on her desk, one of the favorites from her wedding. She had a copy of it at home. It was Johnny, Frank, and Joe, laughing at something ridiculous but looking so genuinely happy and carefree. Her boys. Her great love, her best friend, and her brother. "I miss you," she said softly, touching John's face in the frame.

After a few hours, she still had no idea why she felt Johnny so strongly now, and she tried to let it be. Still not quite at peace, she figured it was time to leave and waved at Don, who was also packing up.

She put aside the envelopes she had opened and then she heard the doorbell ring. It was dark outside, and she felt a slightly panicked sensation in her chest. The apprehension must have shown on her face, because Don said, "I'll get it!" and went to the door. He returned a minute later with an envelope in his hand.

"Strange," he told her. "I went to the door and there was noone there, but this envelope was right on the screen door." He handed it to her. "It's addressed to you, specifically, Callie, not the Foundation. Want to open it?"

Callie sighed. She was so tired and she just wanted to get home. "You go ahead. I'll be right there."

Don nodded and began walking to the parking lot.

Callie shook her head. She rarely got personal mail at the Foundation, and she was almost too tired to open it. Noting that it had no return address, she slid her fingernail along the length of the back and pulled out the paper… and the picture.. .

Her world turned on its axis.

She couldn't breathe. No. No, not possible. It couldn't be.

But the picture didn't lie.

 _Oh, God. Johnny..._

Lightheaded and dizzy, fighting tears, she ran for her car.

She needed to see Frank.

NOW.

*** From _Miss Saigon_. Music by Claude Michael Schonberg. Lyrics by Richard Maltby, jr. and Alain Boublil (adapted from the original French lyrics by Alain Boublil).


	7. Chapter 7

**Note:** _This site has been down for a while; hence my delay in posting. You'll have to wait one more chapter to find out about the envelope/picture that Callie received! :)_ _Thank you to those who have been kind enough to Favorite or Follow this story. Special thanks to those who left reviews on the last chapter, as_ _your feedback is much appreciated and makes me feel as if my time writing the story was worthwhile_ _: Paulina Ann, Drumboy100 (Tell your BF that I'll try to integrate his suggestions! LOL. I've been there many times as well!), sm2003495, Caranath, Ritu, EvergreenDreamweaver, hbndgirl, candylou, BMSH, max2013, ErinJordan, ChrisCorso, and Hero76. I think I reached out via PM to everyone with an account. Thank you all!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 7

"Morning, sunshine," Pat said to Joe as he strolled up to his patrol car.

Joe yawned and opened the door as he sipped his second cup of coffee, sitting next to his friend. "Morning," Joe answered warily. "Got your text. What'd you find out?"

Pat smiled. "You look beat. Long night?"

"Ugh, you've no idea," Joe responded. "I was working with Frank til about 4 on the Santitori case and saw your boy Vogelthorpe," Joe had to add, ribbing him a little. "I slept for about three hours then went to Biff's, and here I am."

"Damn. You went to Hooper's? That's worse than I thought," he answered with a straight face, and Joe chuckled. While Biff was practically his brother, Pat was one of his best friends. They were both relaxed and funny, never took life too seriously, and enjoyed mischief. But where Biff wasn't always the smartest or most responsible person in the world, at least in unimportant matters, Pat was a damned fine cop who exemplified class and represented the finest in the line of servants… to the public. In private, he bent every rule and enjoyed getting the bad guys, no matter what he had to do to get them. He was a great person: brave, chill, fun, and Joe couldn't have been happier to work with him, if it wasn't so damned early.

"Hooper gave me donuts," Joe replied.

"No cop jokes, Hardy," Pat replied, and Joe almost spit out his coffee.

Laughing, Joe relaxed a bit. "A good cop joke would involve more than donuts," he quipped back.

"Want me to start on the 'How many detectives does it take to screw in a lightbulb' stuff?" Pat asked, a twinkle in his eye. "I didn't think so," he cut himself off. "You're getting soft, Hardy. Pull a double shift with straight overtime and then complain about being tired."

"Listen, Merkel," Joe shot back, chuckling, "One up me if you want. I'm getting my ass to sleep as soon as I'm done with you, and I'll enjoy my time being soft while you protect and serve by writing tickets for broken tail lights. What's the plan for today?"

"Interview Griffin's parents," Pat responded, ignoring Joe's joke. "By the time we're done with that, the phone records should be coming in, and we'll be able to verify her last calls to see what we can figure out."

Joe shrugged. "Let's go," he responded, yawning again.

As they drove, Pat filled him in on the facts of the case again. "So remember when I told you that she had been involved in a gang related shootout?" he questioned as he drove.

"Yup," Joe replied. "Is the thinking now that it's definitely gang related?"

"Not necessarily," Pat explained. "I hate to talk ill of the dead, but this one was a live wire. She hung with a bad crowd. It seems as if she was actually innocent in that case, as in she wasn't the shooter… but you can't go around being the getaway driver and pretend you didn't know what was going on."

"Worked for me a few times," Joe joked, and Pat smirked.

"She was still facing those aggravated assault charges when she died. In fact, she had a $100,000 bond on her head if she left town. Lots to think about."

"You said that she had a lot of drugs in her system?" Joe asked, forcing himself to concentrate.

"A ton," Pat acknowledged. "And when I ran her records, it looked like she was a … dancer."

"Of the exotic kind, I assume?" Joe asked.

"It sure wasn't ballet," Pat answered, now seeing the Griffin home come into view. "And she was booked not only for that gang related incident, but also for prostitution- twice."

Joe sighed and finished his coffee as Pat slowed the car down.

"You okay, pal?" Pat asked, noticing Joe's distracted demeanor. "I can handle the interview if need be. No worries."

Joe shook his head. "I'm fine," he responded. "I just hate talking about victims this way. I know you do, too. She may have been wild and bad, or maybe she was just disturbed, but no one deserves to be shot and left in the middle of nowhere. At least she wasn't raped. Is that definite?"

"Yeah," Pat replied. "The M.E. confirmed it. Hey Joe?"

"Hmm?" Joe asked.

Pat met his eyes directly. "You know I feel the same way that you do. But this is a tough job. Sometimes it really sucks. For as much as I love it, it's not fun watching people die, telling families that they've lost someone they loved, dealing with the trash that destroys people's lives. Sometimes you have to laugh, man. It'd be too much otherwise."

Joe smiled. Pat really was a good guy, and, other than Frank, there was no one else he would want as backup when times got bad. "Let's do it," Joe said at last. "I'll buy you Munchkins after."

Pat let a laugh escape as he opened the door.

A few minutes later, Pat and Joe knocked at the door. Pat adjusted his uniform and Joe forced himself to think of the seriousness of the situation to get rid of any traces of joviality that might remain on his face.

The door opened, and Pat spoke first. "Mr. Griffin?" he asked, noting the burly, moustached man who stood before him. "I'm Officer Pat Merkel, and this is P.I. Joe Hardy. May we come in?"

Griffin nodded and opened the door. Joe took a moment to look around the house quickly as they entered. It was a bi-level home in a blue collar, middle class neighborhood of Bayport. It was clean, but not pristine; decorated fully, but not cluttered. It was pretty much like most people's homes, and nothing set off any alarm bells.

"Mr. Griffin," Pat went on, "I'm sorry for your loss. I know what a difficult time this is for you and your family, and we're appreciative for the chance to speak with you and get you some answers. Is your wife home?"

Griffin seemed unable to smile, but merely nodded solemnly as he headed up the stairs. Joe and Pat followed. Once they reached the top, they were ushered into a small kitchen where Tanya's mother sat expectantly. After making introductions once again, Pat offered to speak with Mr. Griffin regarding his interpretation of events, while Joe stayed with Ms. Griffin.

"May I?" Joe asked, as he pulled out a kitchen chair. He'd always found it an effective technique to meet a person at his or her eye level when trying to make a connection.

"Of course. So sorry," she replied. "Would you like something to drink?"

Joe smiled. "No ma'am, but thank you," he said quietly as he sat down. "Please call me Joe. I'm a detective and I often work closely with the Bayport PD on some of their more serious investigative matters. I was wondering if I could take a few minutes of your time to see if you might be able to assist me in getting some answers, so we can help to provide closure to your family."

"Maura," she replied in a low voice. "Please. Whatever you need."

"Thank you, Maura," Joe replied. He started out as usual. "I'd like to see if you can tell me a little about your family dynamics, perhaps a bit about Tanya as well. Do you have any idea who could have done this to her or why?"

Maura's eyes clouded over. "There are a lot of people who could have done this to her," she responded, almost seeming to choke on her words. "She was a troubled young lady."

Joe forced his face to remain neutral, though he was surprised by her answer. Normally, a grieving parent's first response was not to find fault with his or her child. "Go on," he said evenly.

Maura shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you, young man. We're a pretty typical family. Me and my husband have been married 26 years, had three kids. They didn't all turn out like Tanya."

"Can you elaborate?" Joe asked. "You said 'had.' Does Tanya have siblings?"

"One," she answered wearily. "Her brother Kerry. He's a good kid. In community college and plays ice hockey- he's real good. She had another brother, Tony. He died a few years ago in a hit and run accident. That's when Tanya turned on us."

"I'm so sorry," Joe replied, watching her closely, feeling something was off, but not quite sure what it was. "Can you explain that last part of your statement?"

"Tanya being off?" she asked, and Joe nodded. "She was always a pretty good kid, but she got mixed up with the wrong crowd at the end of high school- drugs and partying. When Tony died, she got totally out of control. Me and Jim spent our whole life savings bailing her out of jail, trying to get her help. We were gonna retire in one of them nice cabins up in Vermont, but we have no chance of that now. Tanya ran us wild and crazy. She brought shame to our family… and now she's gone."

Joe focused, thinking about her words, ignoring their personal connections with him. His own past was "wild and crazy"; he'd been mixed up with bad people and bad things; but, with the help of his family and friends and the grace of god, he'd straightened out and managed to live a good, clean life. Compared to so many who had gone through similar things, he was relatively fortunate. Then again, Frank would have died before giving up on him; his parents and friends had seen him through and believed in him unconditionally. Not everyone was so lucky. Tanya Griffin certainly hadn't been.

"Is there anyone who you can think of who would have wanted to hurt her?" Joe asked.

"Like I says, she hung with a bad crowd. She was going to see some girlfriends the night she died; at least, that's what she told me. Who knows?"

"Is her brother available to talk?" Joe questioned, but Maura shook her head.

"No. You can come back tonight. He's in school now."

"Thank you for your time," Joe finished. "I'll be in touch. Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

He left for the car, noticing Pat already waiting for him.

"How'd it go?" Pat asked him, and Joe shrugged.

"Strange," he answered, and proceeded to fill Pat in on the conversation. "She almost seemed to think it was bound to happen. I know people grieve in different ways, but this is weird. I'll never get used to the idea that parents can accept the loss of their child."

Pat listened attentively. "The dad acknowledged Tanya's behavior, but he seemed pretty broken up about it," he said at last. "I guess we'll have to wait on the phone records to see what's next. I'll check out the brother. You check out the list of her friends' names that Vogelthorpe got on the initial interview. Maybe we'll get lucky and connect some dots."

"Maybe," Joe agreed as he got into Pat's patrol car. He couldn't help but to feel sorry for the young woman. "I guess it's more hurry up to wait."

"At least we'll get to snack on Munchkins, though," Pat teased. "I'm stopping at the drive- thru in a minute."

Joe closed his eyes and smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank stared out numbly as he stood by his father's car. Looking at the scene around him, it seemed right out of a horror movie. It had unfolded that way as well: painfully slowly, each second worse than the next, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.

They were dead: Tanzini, Sr., two of his family members, Josh Flagstone, Officer Kelty. More than likely, Stella Santitori.

It had all started out innocently. Kirk and the lead FBI investigator trying to negotiate the release of little Stella for the money. Frank had been involved, having taken many hostage negotiation classes, having worked closely with the FBI for years. Tanzini, for all his calm facade, had still looked uncertain about Stella, and Frank hadn't known why. One of his family members said that Stella was in one of the buildings and would be released unharmed after the cash was delivered. They'd demanded that Flagstone be brought along.

It had been going okay. The FBI had the money; were prepared at least to do the initial exchange and at least get Stella to safety. But then something had gone horribly wrong. Flagstone had started yelling about something, there had been a crack from a nearby building… somewhere… and then all hell had broken loose.

The bullets ricocheted everywhere, the empty and isolated setting causing each fire of a bullet to sound like a canon. He felt himself shoved out of the way; had no time even to see if his dad was okay. In the distance, he saw an FBI agent and a Bayport PD officer run towards the building, and he'd followed.

They'd had to split up, and there had been no plan. Where to look for the shooter? Where had the shots come from? And, most important, where to find Stella? They'd called for backup. The sounds of sirens already blasted in the distance.

Thirty minutes later, it was over. The place was swarming with officers. No doubt, every mob affiliate was scrambling to avenge the death of their godfather, and equally as certain every FBI agent and local countermeasure was being taken to prevent it; to stop an all out assault on law enforcement from an extremely dangerous crime family.

He had gone with one of the agents, combing the back buildings. Then he saw it. At that moment, Frank knew it would be one of the most poignant images to ever remain in his mind.

There was no Stella. What remained was a small pool of blood, a little Mary Jane shoe, and a Barbie doll. The juxtaposition of images was haunting.

Stella was gone. And though he knew they would pull out every resource known to man to find her, he had little hope. She might have been taken back by a family member, in which case she would be killed. Now, more than ever, having a baby's body show up somewhere soon would serve as a symbol for the family. And if she hadn't been taken, and had somehow wandered off, she might never be found. These buildings were cesspools of destruction; decaying, dangerous, havens for addicts and the homeless, rats and snakes...

He couldn't think about it.

He saw his father come up to him and felt his arm around him, heard his reassurances and platitudes. But then he'd stopped, noticing that Frank hadn't really heard a word.

"What can I do for you?" Fenton asked him, finally.

Slowly, Frank turned to him, completely drained, unable even to think. "Home, Dad," he managed. "I want to go home."


	8. Chapter 8

**NOTE:** _Thank you for the Follows and Favorites on this story. This chapter starts mystery #4, which will become a very personal one. For the lovely reviews on the last chapter and for your support in general, many thanks to the following people: Paulina Ann, Hero 76, BMSH, Drumboy100, sm2003495, EvergreenDreamweaver, Caranath, ErinJordan, hbndgirl, ChrisCorso, and max2013. I always enjoy hearing what people have to say!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 8

"Frank," Callie managed, coming to stand beside her husband and trying to ignore the hammering in her chest as she walked through the front door. "Babe, we need to talk."

She looked scared and he was on alert at once.

Frank turned immediately as she closed the door behind her. The kids had just fallen asleep, his mom had just left, and he was planning on spending a cozy few hours doing nothing at all with his wife on this frigid February day as soon as she returned from work. He needed a short reprieve from his case to be with his family, to hold his wife and children in his arms and forget the horror of this day. Dealing with the fact that Stella Santitori was probably dead was taking a toll on him. He was exhausted and overwhelmed and just wanted to decompress.

One look into Callie's dark eyes, though, and he was on instant alert.

"Cal? What's wrong?" he asked. "Are you okay?"

"No," Callie replied shakily, quickly removing her coat and walking over to him. She had gone over every conceivable way to tell him the news, but she still didn't know if it was possible to do it without breaking down. No matter the outcome, once the words were out, their lives would be forever changed, and she didn't know if she was ready for that. _I'm not ready,_ she found herself mouthing.

"Honey?" Frank asked her, placing his arm on her shoulder in comfort, eyes etched with deep concern. "What? What are you not ready for? I don't understand. Is everything okay at work?"

"I don't know how to tell you this," she began, unable to meet his eyes. Her mouth felt dry. When she felt him start to pull her to him, she stepped back and looked up, seeing the complete confusion and bit of hurt in his eyes. She couldn't be comforted now; she had to get this out.

"You can tell me anything," Frank told her, now growing very concerned. Callie was clearly struggling with something major, and not be able to touch her, which came second nature to him, was disconcerting.

She finally turned her head towards him and inhaled a shaky breath. "I'm just going to say this and get it out," she began, and he could hear the fear in her voice, again startling him. "Frank, I… I received an anonymous letter at the Foundation, and I thought it was a joke at first, a cruel one, but a joke.…" She stopped for a moment, trying to stop the quiver in her voice. "It said that John…"

"What about John?" Frank interjected, seeing how pale Callie was.

She met his eyes. "Frank, it said that Johnny had... a _child,_ a little girl. Johnny didn't know about her- she was born six months after he died. She's 17 months old now- that's really all I know. The mother just died… I don't know much else. This guy- I think he was the boyfriend- is trying to blackmail me- _us-_ for money, now that Johnny isn't here."

Frank stared at his wife, trying to wrap his mind around what he had just told him. "Johnny had a baby?" he whispered. "What?!"

Callie nodded. "She… apparently she and John had hooked up briefly… I can explain that later. I think that's true."

Frank inhaled sharply, letting logic take over instead of emotion, something he had done all his life. "Callie, this is probably some kind of prank," he began, slowly. "You knew when you started this Foundation that people could come up with all sorts of nonsense about Johnny. That happened last year- remember?! It doesn't make any sense! Who is this guy? Joe and I will get on it right away, and put this nutcase in jail. You still have the letter?" he asked her.

"Yes," she whispered. "Frank, why would he try to blackmail us if it's not true? We would never give money to save a child that wasn't really there. And..."

Frank moved closer and wrapped his arms around her, feeling her trembling against his chest. "Honey, this stuff happens all the time," he interrupted, gently stroking her hair. "People are sick. Think rationally. John was gay- start there. Even if he somehow wasn't gay, which he was, why would someone not want to tell him that he had a baby? He was a multi-millionaire, and he always wanted kids. And why contact you, other than the fact that you run the Foundation, and it's very successful? What's the plan- have the Foundation pay out god knows how much and then what? Give you knowledge that a baby exists so you can hopefully find it a home? Chances are good that you'd have to wire money to some fraudulent account and then- _poof!-_ nothing; no kid. I'm so sorry, sweetheart, that this is happening, but things like this aren't hard to deal with. I'll get on it right away."

To his surprise, Callie moved back, tears in her eyes. "No," she managed, voice wobbly. "No- Frank. It IS true."

"Cal, come on-" Frank cut in.

"Frank- Johnny DID sleep with a woman in December!" she countered. "He felt awful about it. He had been in a relationship and there was a bad breakup, and he went out and drank too much and one thing lead to another. He TOLD me all about it, and he was finally starting to settle down again; got his head on straight. He said that he tried to contact her the next day, but she was nowhere to be found, which made it even worse. You know that John would never hurt anyone intentionally- SHE left him with no information."

"A random hookup?" Frank asked, trying to be patient. Well, he could maybe believe that. John was a big partier at times, had a pretty wild past before he had settled down, was surrounded by disingenuous people who only cared about what he could do for them. Still… even if Johnny did do something stupid like that, Callie was right; he would never have hurt anyone; it wasn't in his nature.

"Yes!" Callie emphasized, clinging to his hand. "And why contact me? I was his best friend, Frank. He mentioned me by name- granted, only first name, but still- in his Rewards acceptance speeches; we were photographed together several times- nothing you don't know. I couldn't let a child of his be alone. Hold on." She dropped his hand, turned, and ran out of the room, leaving Frank with his mind whirling. Before he could process what to think, she was back. She shakily handed him an envelope and a picture, upside down.

Frank looked down and, calmly, took it from her hand. When he turned it over, he took the picture out and he gasped, felt the color slowly drain from his face. A beautiful little baby girl stared back at him, with the second brightest green eyes he'd ever seen…

He couldn't stop staring. Sure, it could be photoshopped. He hoped to god it was. Because, if not, he was staring into the eyes of John Geller's daughter.

And when he finally tore his eyes away from the photograph, it was almost worse. Callie stared at him with such hope, such determination, such pain and love fused together, that his heart skipped several beats.

 _Oh, no. No no no._ He saw it immediately. If that _was_ Johnny's child, if it was true, and if he could somehow apprehend her abductor and save this baby….

Then that child would never be put up for adoption; it was as clear as day. Despite the dangers, the fallout, the complexities; despite the rumors and press that would inevitably follow and disrupt their inconspicuous world; despite having finally found contentment in their little family of four…

Callie had already fallen in love.

Shaken, he held onto the picture and envelope, kissed her on the forehead, and walked from the room.

Joe- he had to see Joe.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Honey, Frank called. He's on his way over." Vanessa came to sit beside him, brows etched in concern.

Joe looked at his wife, reaching out to push back an errant strand of ash-blonde hair behind her ear. "He called?" Joe asked. "When? I didn't see his number on my cell phone."

Vanessa shrugged. "He called the home phone. He sounded upset. I asked if he was okay, but he didn't say too much, only that he wanted to see you. Is everything okay with you two?"

"Yeah," Joe replied, slipping his arm around her and kissing her temple. "Everything is fine."

Vanessa smiled and reached for his hand. "Well, maybe it's the missing child case- what a horrible outcome. You haven't seen him since that went down, have you?"

"No," Joe admitted. "I've been busy on this crazy murder case with Pat. And I told you, baby… Biff and I will get some answers, what you need, as soon as we can. Just a few more days? weeks? and you'll know. Thanks for being so patient with me."

Vanessa smiled and leaned forward to kiss him lightly. "I've waited a quarter of a century. A quarter of a month more I think I can handle."

There was a knocking at the door, and Joe pulled back. "Promise me you'll wait up," he asked her, pulling her into him and kissing her slowly and sensuously. "Because I definitely need a few hours with my beautiful wife to make up for lost time..."

Vanessa nodded as she stood with him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "I'll be waiting… and setting up…" she whispered before turning and heading for the stairs.

Joe groaned. Evan had just fallen asleep and it would have been perfect timing to make the most of the next few hours alone with Vanessa. Parenthood and her current pregnancy had done nothing to quell his desire for her, as she was even more beautiful than ever. What parenthood had done, though, was force them to be judicious in their use of time. _Which isn't all that bad_ , he had to admit. It certainly had made them quite creative as they learned to make the most of each hour. He smiled, hoping that whatever Frank wanted, it would be quick.

"Coming!" Joe yelled. The minute he went to the door and opened it, though, suddenly Frank was the only thing on his mind.

"What's the matter?" Joe asked immediately, letting his brother inside. Frank looked awful. He was clutching an envelope in his hand as he took off his jacket, and he seemed disoriented and upset.

"Thanks for letting me come over," he managed.

Joe rolled his eyes. Frank was being polite, as always. "Frank, you don't need an invitation. My home is your home. Van and Evan are upstairs. Come in. What's wrong?" He wrapped an arm around Frank's shoulders.

"I needed to see you," Frank began. "I need advice, and I need help, and I don't know what to do."

Joe squeezed his brother's shoulders and tried not to panic. Frank was always calm and collected, and he wasn't used to seeing him so upset.

He almost looked on the verge of tears. Instinctively, Joe pulled him into his arms and hugged him tightly. "Hey, it's okay. Whatever it is, it's okay. I'm here for you."

Frank took a few shaky breaths and clung to him tightly for a moment before letting him go.

"Thanks," Frank whispered, wiping at his eyes.

Joe tried to appear calm as he rubbed his brother's back gently, a gesture of comfort that Frank had done for him too many times to count. "Are JJ and Laurie okay? Is Callie?" Joe asked gently. He couldn't imagine what else could have rocked his normally steadfast and cool brother.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Then tell me what's wrong," Joe pressed him. "Come on. Let me help."

Frank nodded his head slowly as Joe led him to the dining room table, where Frank sat across from him. Joe covered his hand with his own. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Frank finally met his eyes. "I have a problem and I have no idea how to handle it."

"Okay," Joe said gently. "Go on." As uncharacteristic as this visit was for Frank, Joe was beyond grateful that Frank was once again confiding in him. They were back on the same team again and closer than ever after having had some difficult times over the past year or two.

"Callie got an anonymous letter at work today," Frank said quietly. He pushed the envelope towards him. "Just read it."

Joe released his hand from Frank's and opened the envelope. As he read it, he gasped. Then, he looked at the picture. After a minute or two, he could finally speak. "Is this for real?" he asked.

"I think it is," Frank managed. "We need to find out."

"Did you tell her this could be a cruel joke?" Joe asked.

Frank nodded. "Yeah. It could be, right?" His voice was almost desperate, and Joe was surprised.

"Sure it could be," Joe answered. "Of course. I'll get on this first thing in the morning- I'll check for prints myself if you need me to. According to the letter, more info will come tomorrow night anyway. We can stake it out or have Collig watch Callie. If it's legit, even if it's not, this is about money. There will have to be a point of contact or something soon. We'll figure it out."

Frank swallowed and picked up the picture. "Look at those eyes," he said in a low voice.

Joe took the picture from his brother's hands, studying the beautiful little girl who looked a lot like Johnny. And he had to admit- he was pretty good at identifying photoshopped pictures, and this one looked authentic. "Callie must be a mess," Joe replied at last. "I'll call her tomorrow and tell her we're on it."

"What if it's true?" Frank asked, and there was the slightest tremor to his voice. "Callie thinks it is. She said John had some hookup around this time. I didn't get the details, but… I mean… it could be his daughter. It really might be."

"Then we'll find her and save her," Joe said firmly. "This guy wants money. We need something to go on, Frank. Once we have it, we'll move. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have. She's beautiful. She doesn't look hurt in any way. Someone took care of her and loved her. I guess the mom. Who is she? There's so much we don't know."

"What if I can't find her?" Frank asked. "Joe, what will I tell Callie? How… I mean, it's John."

"We _will_ find her," Joe said firmly. "Come on, bro. Think straight. This little girl is okay. This is not…" He paused as it hit him. "Stella Santitori."

Frank bit his lip. "I know. It's worse."

Joe raised his brow. "Frank, what? I mean, if it's true…" He found himself smiling, "How cool is that? I mean...God. Johnny has a little girl. He would be so happy."

To Joe's shock, Frank stood up and backed away. "Why is it cool? Johnny's dead, Joe. He can't see her. He can't enjoy her. She's going to grow up without a family and… and Callie… she… would want to take her in."

Joe stood as well, almost shocked into silence. There was so much to process, with both Frank's words and his actions almost startling him. "Whoa," Joe warned him. "One thing at a time. Let's see if it's even true first, Frank. I mean… how could you not want it to be? I don't understand."

"I'm not ready for this," Frank replied, almost wild-eyed.

"For what?" Joe asked, confused.

"For another child," Frank confessed, and he looked totally stricken. "For my whole… my whole life to change. How can you think this is good?"

"Frank, slow down," Joe warned him. "This is… it could be… Johnny's child. That's a gift."

"Maybe," Frank replied, and Joe could see how upset he was.

"One thing at a time," Joe reminded him again. "You and Callie need to discuss what to do if it is John's daughter. But no matter what, I know you'd look out for her and make sure she was safe, right?"

"You... you don't know what it would mean… to take her in." He looked so inexplicably upset, and, though Joe didn't understand his reaction, he felt for him.

"I don't," Joe admitted. "But I also know that if something happened to a good friend, I personally would be ecstatic to know my friend would live on through…"

"This baby is NOT John!" Frank snapped.

"I KNOW," Joe shot back. "Frank, why are you acting like this? This is John you're talking about. I can't make any decisions for you, and you didn't even ask me to. But let me tell you- yes, I WOULD take in a child of Biff's, or one of Van's good friends. No question."

Frank looked stunned first, and then, almost as quickly, defeated. "Thanks, Joe. You'll… help me figure it out?"

"Yes. Of course I will." Joe reached out and rubbed Frank's arm. "You're all over the place tonight. Go home. Sleep. Forget the Santitori case and this one. Tomorrow you have me and I promise this will be my first priority."

Frank nodded, and Joe was shocked to see tears still in his eyes.

He stepped to Frank and hugged him again. "I don't know what's in your head right now," he said quietly. "But I'm here for you. You don't need to tackle this now and have all the answers. Let's see what we're dealing with. And I am not judging you. What aren't you telling me, Frank?"

Frank just shook his head.

Joe sighed and hugged his brother even tighter. "When you're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen, okay? Any time. No matter what, you call me or see me."

Frank nodded.

"I love you. Don't forget that."

"Love you, too," Frank said quietly, and he pulled back, wiping at his eyes. Joe was struck by how tired and overwhelmed he looked. "Thanks."

"Want to stay here tonight?" Joe asked, when it occurred to him that perhaps Frank wasn't ready to face Callie, which, honestly, was one of the weirdest thoughts he'd had in a long time. Frank and Callie were inseparable. He'd have to think on it.

"I'm okay," Frank responded. "I should go home. My family's waiting."

Joe walked Frank back to the door, handed him his jacket, and pat him on the back before he left. "Text me when you get home," he told him, though Frank lived only twenty five minutes away.

That at least made Frank smile. "Okay, Mom."

Joe smiled back and waved goodbye.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Closing the door behind him quietly, Joe released a deep breath. If there was anything that could have surprised him more than Frank's news, he couldn't have thought of it.

Johnny had a baby. Maybe. A baby… who was in grave danger right now.

And Callie would want to raise that baby as her own, for sure, if he and Frank could even rescue her in time.

Frank was completely overwhelmed, and Joe knew that his brother still hadn't opened up to him completely, though he had tried. Because he still felt guilt over John's death, and John's relationship with Callie had always been so nuanced and complex… and if Frank admitted that, then he'd have to think about what had happened to her so many years ago, and, though at least Joe knew now, his heart still ached for his brother. He still wasn't ready to confront that demon, though ironically Callie had.

What he had told Frank, though— it remained true. He would have to discuss it with Vanessa, of course, but, like Callie, if the situation were reversed, he would take in his best friend's child, Vanessa's best friend's child, with no hesitation.

But he was not Frank, and his brother clearly had some unresolved issues with John Gellers. What, he couldn't imagine. Other than Phil, John was clearly his brother's best friend. He'd defended John always, unequivocally, never seemed to give a second thought to Cal's relationship with him. _On the surface._

Joe had questioned Callie for a long time on that relationship, which he now, years later, knew he had been wrong to do. If Frank had had an issue with John, he had never shown it, but Joe had had one- a major mistrust of the guy who Callie seemed to love… whom she did love.

But he'd gotten over it, and John had become a friend to him, too, a friend beyond Vanessa's infatuation with him, a friend beyond a lot of things. John and Biff had become really close as well. And someone who could so easily navigate his inner circle of friends and relatives had to have something authentic about him.

At Frank and Callie's engagement party, on a beautiful boat that cruised the Hudson River, he'd finally talked to John.

 _It was a beautiful fall day and the leaves exploded in a cascade of color, setting the stage for romance and happiness. Callie's parents had paid for this party, with close to 100 people, and the sounds of laughter filled the air, mixed with dance music from the deejay inside. People mingled on the deck and partied inside, and every time he saw Frank and Callie, they were together, and they looked blissfully in love._

 _He had gone out on the deck, needing a break from dancing for the last 45 minutes straight. Vanessa and Chet were laughing about something, and he had excused himself to get a drink, but found himself drawn to the gorgeous outdoors. He had also been more than a little tipsy, not quite drunk, and hence more open than he would normally be. Catching sight of John across the ship, he'd walked over to him, where John was standing with a few friends whom he and Callie had known at college._

 _John waved him over, as the others departed._

" _Joe!" he'd called out, taking a sip from his wine glass. "How the hell are you?"_

 _Joe walked over to him and shook his hand, taking another sip of beer from the bottle. "A little drunk," Joe replied, and John laughed._

" _As am I," John replied, a twinkle in his bright green eyes, "and as it should be! Lots to celebrate today, huh?"_

 _Joe nodded. "It's about damned time."_

 _John looked across the ship to the opposite side, where Frank and Callie, taking a break themselves, were posing for photographs. "It is," John agreed. "I'm so happy for them. I think they've found what we all want." He turned to Joe for a quick moment. "You've found it, too. I envy that."_

 _Joe shook his head and smiled. It was hard not to like John. "Yeah, I'll probably keep Van," he replied dryly._

" _I get first dibs if you break up," he teased. "I told her that if she conveniently breaks up with you at the same time I switch teams, we are eloping that day."_

 _Joe rolled his eyes. "Don't encourage her."_

 _John laughed, turning his eyes back to Frank and Callie. "Isn't she beautiful?" John asked, indicating Callie. "She's gorgeous. She's so happy. It's all I've ever wanted for her."_

 _Joe interrupted. "John, I don't totally get your relationship with her," he blurted out._

 _John turned to him, surprised, but shockingly not offended. "That's okay. You don't need to." John shrugged and went on. "I don't understand your relationship with her, either."_

" _What? She's my friend. She's going to be my sister- in- law. What do you mean?" He was taken aback._

" _She loves you," John repli_ ed, _simply_. " _She really thinks of you as her brother now_. _But you both practically hated each other for a long time. You manage to make her feel … safe…" He hesitated for a minute, "and yet you drive her crazy. She says it's mutual."_

 _Joe was shocked. This guy told it like it was- no pretense about it. "It's complicated," was all he could answer._ _Joe then blurted out, "You almost seem like you're in love with her." He grimaced as soon as he said it. "Sorry," he mumbled, blushing. "Damned alcohol."_

 _John chuckled. "I love her, indeed. She's my favorite person in the world. I'm not IN love with her. It's complicated," he mirrored back, and he winked at Joe._

 _He knew then that John Gellers was all right. And in the years that followed that little exchange, he'd proven to be a loyal, hilarious, fun, and generous person to so many people._

Whatever his issue was with John, Frank needed to get over it… quickly… because John's daughter was in danger and he owed that his full attention.

 _Talk to me, Frank. I'm here for you. I'm on your side always. I love you._

Joe had faith that Frank would eventually open up; coming up see him tonight had been major for him, he knew that. He couldn't change who Frank was as a person; someone who needed to process privately before he gathered his words. He just wished that Frank could express his conflicting emotions more clearly, but Joe at least understood why now: Frank felt guilty and he was scared. Callie had dropped a bomb on him, but he couldn't blame her, either. What was she supposed to have done? She needed Frank; Frank needed her.

And he had a strong suspicion that they'd both need him a lot very soon.


	9. Chapter 9

_**NOTE:** Thank you for the Follows and Favorites on this story. Many of you asked about Frank, who WILL be okay, but he has to work through things first. This chapter focuses on Frank's processing everything. I am so grateful for the lovely reviews on the last chapter, which truly made my day. I hope I was able to PM each of you. To the following people THANK YOU: MooninScorpio (it has been great reconnecting! The tidbit about Callie using food as control as a coping mechanism is true- I think I mentioned it once in my Christmas story. Great catch!), Hero76, hbndgirl, EvergreenDreamweaver, BMSH, sm2003495, Drumboy100 (lots to discuss with you at some point!), Ritu, ErinJordan, ChrisCorso, candylou, BeeBee18, and Max2013. Each and every comment was much appreciated!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 9

As soon as he had returned home from Joe and Vanessa's house, Frank had paused for only a moment to look at Callie. She had frozen when she had seen him, and there was a whole volume of unspoken words that hung in the air between them. Telling her only that he needed to see the kids and that he would be down in a bit, he headed up the stairs, and spent the next hour playing with JJ and Laurie before getting them settled down for bed.

Tonight, the kids would stay in his and Callie's bedroom, where they always had two extra cribs just _in case…_ in case someone couldn't sleep, or was sick, or was cranky…. just normally not in case mommy and daddy needed them so they didn't need to face each other.

He cherished each moment, from reading _Goodnight, Moon_ three times to JJ as he pointed out the pictures, to changing him and helping him brush his teeth, and finally managing to rock him to sleep while Laurie kicked happily around her crib. He then played with Laurie who kept cooing at him and giving him kisses. Looking into her eyes, he was taken again by how beautiful she was, how much he loved her. He couldn't imagine ever loving any other little girl as much. She was the light of his life, and she'd had him wrapped around her finger since the day she had been born. He continued to hold her against his chest as she fell asleep, and he missed her the moment that he reluctantly let her go. His angel.

Knowing he could no longer avoid the inevitable, he resigned himself to the conversation ahead and trod downstairs, when he saw Callie evidently waiting for him, nervously pacing.

Frank approached Callie, trying to keep his emotions in check. His talk with Joe had helped to calm him somewhat, to refocus him, but, truth be told, this conversation was going to be raw and painful and extremely difficult. She was looking at him and trying to smile, though he saw that she knew what was coming.

"We need to talk, honey," he said in a low voice, as he reached for her hand. She clasped her hand in his, and he could feel it trembling. He led her to the kitchen table and pulled out a chair. Callie mirrored his actions and sat across from him, squeezing his hand tightly.

"Is… is it true?" she asked, eyes filled with both fear and hope.

"I honestly don't know," he admitted, gently stroking her hand. "Joe and I are on it. As soon as I find out if this is legitimate, I'll leave right away. If this baby exists, and this situation is real, she's in serious danger. I should know something later tonight or tomorrow."

"Okay," she said to him. "Th… thank you for looking into it."

He managed the smallest of smiles. "You never need to thank me. This does need to be checked out. If a real child is involved, Johnny's or not, we have to help her."

She nodded.

"Cal?" he questioned, hating how nervous he sounded. He took his free hand and touched her cheek tenderly for a moment before dropping it down again. "I hate that we have to have this talk- I really do. But you're my wife and this is our family and and our life, and I think we need to be totally honest with each other about a lot of things."

"I know," she replied in a soft voice. "I agree." Despite her words, he saw her lips quiver a bit and it tugged at his heart.

He sighed heavily. "Callie," he started again, "this is hard for me. You have no idea. I… I hate the thought of hurting you or causing you pain. It's so ingrained in me to protect you from harm, and the thought that I might be the cause of it… it kills me." His voice cut out for a moment.

"No," she cut in, quietly. She looked at him through watery eyes. "You have to be honest. I understand that it's hard… I do." She took a shaky breath. "We're a team. And before we're mom and dad, husband and wife, lovers… we're best friends. Just tell me, babe. Say it. Get it over with." She reached for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes.

Surprising himself, he did the same, his emotions completely frazzling him. "I don't know if I can do it," he found himself saying. "I… I don't."

"Okay," she whispered. "Tell me why. Get it out."

He took a moment to collect himself. "Oh, Cal," he sighed. "It's complicated." When he met her eyes, he saw the pain, but also the conviction there; she had meant what she said about him being honest; he saw that.

"Just tell me," she repeated. "We have to work through this."

He released her hand and stood, looking down at her. This was it. "I love you," he started, speaking totally from the heart, having no agenda but the truth. He wiped at his eyes again. "You are my everything; the greatest love of my life. You know that."

"I know," she whispered, giving him a shaky smile.

"And when I see our children, sweetheart, I see so much," he choked out. "I see beautiful things: the first time you told me you were pregnant with both of them, against all odds; watching their births; the two of us fumbling around like we knew what we were doing, when we were just clueless and exhausted and overwhelmed-but we did it, together- just us. I see when they both started crawling and talking; now Laurie is trying to walk; all of those firsts. And I think of what they mean to us, how they are a part of US; that these babies are miracles that we created when we made love... " He met her eyes, saw her wiping back tears.

"And then I think of painful things: almost losing you, watching you in excruciating pain and feeling so helpless that I couldn't save you. I think of being so … scared… when you got so sick with your medical problems; the terror of not knowing where you were when you were kidnapped and then finding out what had been done to you; and, maybe worst of all…" He found himself crying openly now, and not even caring. This was Callie; she was the only one who would ever really know this side to him, and he was not ashamed. "Worst of all was that month, baby… when you were in a coma and every single day a part of me died when you didn't wake up. I already thought I'd lost Laurie; I knew I was losing you, and I would have to raise JJ alone. THAT…"

Callie stepped into his arms and he held her tightly to him, resting his head on the top of hers. "That's _my_ moment," he found himself whispering to her. "That is the scar I will carry with me forever as you carry yours; that is mine. I will never forget that feeling."

"Oh, sweetheart," she murmured against him. "It's okay." She kissed his shoulder and hugged him tightly. "Just get this all out. It's time."

Finally, he released her, kissing her lips lightly, and then again taking a seat at the table across from her, holding onto her hand.

"Callie, I guess my point is that these are OUR experiences; our life together, good and bad. We built our life for the past thirteen years: for better or worse, right?"

"Of course," she acknowledged. "Go on."

"I KNOW I promised you that we would consider adoption. And… I guess I just didn't think it would really happen, so soon… IF it's even a possibility and IF that's John's daughter. I just don't know that I COULD love another child like I love Jonathan and Laurissa." He took a deep breath. "I hate to say that; I HATE that I'm not a bigger person; but it's the truth."

"Okay," Callie managed.

He found himself at an impasse as he looked into her eyes and validated what he had feared all along. "But assuming that's Johnny's baby… you already love her, don't you?"

He watched as two tears slid down her cheeks. "Yes," she admitted. "I'm so sorry. I do."

"You know," he went on in a shaky voice, "that even if everything worked out, Johnny's child is NOT Johnny."

"I know," she whispered.

"You know I would make sure that she was placed in the best and safest home available, and that we would both make sure that she would know about her father in time, and be financially secure, and have a wonderful life-" He looked at her; sensed her grief. "But that's not enough for you, is it?"

"It's going to have to be," she choked out. "I won't ask you to do what you can't do."

He sighed heavily, heart aching. "Three kids, Callie? Under two?! We barely have any time for a life now; for each other."

"You're right. I know all that." She was trying to steady her breathing, but he saw her grief. "Can I ask you something?" She was rubbing her forehead. "If we are being totally, completely honest?"

He sucked in his breath, afraid. He had a bad feeling that he knew what she was going to ask. "Yes."

"Would you actually have been more open to this if it _wasn't_ John's daughter?" she asked shakily.

Oh god. Not _that_ question. He tried to avoid it. "Would you have been so adamant to adopt - now- if it wasn't his daughter?" he countered.

"Frank, stop," she told him, and he did. The ache in her eyes silenced him. "You know what I'm asking you. Don't lie to me."

He paused for several long, terrible minutes, trying to reconcile his feelings. "I honestly don't know," he whispered, ashamed.

"I don't know what to say," Callie managed. "What if something happened to Joe? Would you take his children?"

"Joe is my BROTHER," he answered, defensive.

"Well, Johnny was like my-" she started, but he cut her off.

"No, Callie he wasn't," Frank said. God, he had always tried to avoid this conversation; he knew it could tear at their very foundation. "He would have been your _husband_ if he wasn't gay." His voice was shaking. "You know it's true."

Callie's face paled, and she stood, trembling. "Well, I didn't marry HIM. I married YOU. You need to back down right now," she told him, and the intensity of her voice startled him.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked, gesticulating. "I really don't know."

"The truth," she fired back. "I thought he was your friend. He loved you. He-"

"He WAS my friend!" Frank answered sharply, fear causing him to lash out. "One of the best friends I ever had. But he was my friend through YOU. Callie, John loved you. But a little part of him was _in_ love with you and you're blind if you can't see that!"

"Are you JOKING right now?" she almost shouted. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?!" Frank responded. "You know why you can't see it? Because a part of you felt the same way."

He had stunned her; he saw it right away. He didn't even know if he meant it, if it was true, but it was his greatest fear- had always been- and now it was in the open. But he had gone too far to go back. "Deny it."

"I feel sick," she managed, and he saw that she wasn't joking. She was shaking and pale, but she would not back down. "Of COURSE I deny it! After all this time? After all he did for both of us? You're still— jealous?! We worked this out eight YEARS ago! We named our son after him and your brother. Come on…" she finished, pained. He saw her struggling with which approach to take with him, but he couldn't think.

He preempted her. "What if I had a 'best friend'," he said at last, all fight gone from him. He spoke gently, because she deserved that, and they both deserved peace. "A beautiful woman who I told all my secrets to, who helped me in the worst crisis of my life, who was affectionate with me, hugging and kissing me, who came into my life in a time when maybe you had betrayed me?" His voice shook. "Even if you came to know her, and somehow, against all odds, actually became close with her and almost considered her a sister… wouldn't you still be afraid, deep down, that you'd never measure up?" He felt raw, vulnerable, deeply ashamed.

She pulled out a chair and sat down weakly. He couldn't move.

It was several moments before she spoke. She was clearly collecting her thoughts, and he started to worry as a sort of calm came over her. When she met his eyes, he was humbled. He hadn't meant to, but he saw that he'd hurt her.

She finally looked up as she spoke. "No, I wouldn't feel that way, because I would have trusted you. Period… unless you gave me a reason to doubt you. And neither John nor I EVER gave you that reason."

Frank had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. She was totally right. Still...

"I'm going to bring this conversation back full circle," she began again, tears in her eyes. "I understand now. God… how could I not have seen it?" Her tone was surprisingly gentle. "Because it is time to be done with this nonsense. I love YOU, Frank, but on some tiny level you have doubt," she said, a response so unexpected that he couldn't reply. "See, that's your issue now and it's always been your issue. YOUR issue. Not mine."

He couldn't look away. He saw that she was building to something.

"Frank," she said, looking right into his soul. "It was not your fault that I was raped."

He gasped. "What?!"

She did not waver in her gaze. "It was not your fault that I was raped," she repeated again.

His heart started pounding. "Stop-" he managed, trying to understand what she was going for.

She walked to him and placed her hands on both sides of his face. "It was not your fault. It was _not_ your fault. You will never be okay with John until you acknowledge that. I do not blame you now and I never have."

"I don't follow-" he managed, but he did. Yes, he did— all too well. She was cutting him right to the core. His stomach was churning. Now he felt physically ill as he watched her actually get stronger in front of him.

"What those men did to me had _nothing_ to do with you. If you had never cheated on me, or maybe if you had, I would have still been in California. It still would have happened and you could NOT have protected me. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry," he managed, feeling his own tears spill over.

"It is not your fault that I was raped," she repeated, and he sat, finally, burying his head in his hands on the table. "You know whose fault it was? Not yours. Not mine. It was my rapists' fault. That's it. You need to let this go."

Rarely did they ever even mention what happened anymore unless something triggered her, a rarity nowadays. It was in her past; in his. She had gotten through, a fighter to the end, and was not the same person she had been in the year or two in its aftermath. No—she was at peace; had finally shared her secret with his brother, at least the fact that it had happened, could mention the crime by name now, could take control of her emotions and accept them, and she was okay.

He wasn't.

Despite the help he had gotten to work through it, the fact he had a therapist now he occasionally talked to, he still was not okay. She was right. He blamed himself for it; always would. Maybe it wasn't about John at all.

She went on talking and he felt her hand caressing his back. "That's what this is about," she whispered. "You blame yourself now and you blamed yourself then, no matter how many times you say you didn't. And you resented John for things that intellectually made no sense- he was there for me when you weren't, right? So what? You wouldn't have been there, Frank. _It would have happened anyway."_

He shook his head, trying to block out her words, which hurt deeply in their veracity. "You need to get out of your own way and TRUST me enough to believe me when I tell you my real, God's honest feelings about that man. Frank, I DID love Johnny. He was the greatest FRIEND I have ever had. If he wasn't gay, and you were not in my life, I may well have married him- you're right. Those are two HUGE "If's", though!" She paused, and his head started pounding.

She continued, steady and slow."Your misplaced guilt has made you insecure. Frank, I was NOT in love with Johnny. What COULD have been- it NEVER was. And Johnny was NOT in love with me. The stars never aligned for us. You can out-reason me, try to talk around the issue, have it make perfect sense… but it is simply...not… true."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, unable to look up. God, what had he done?

"Johnny is not the problem, Frank. I have always been in love with you- _always_. And he has always been my dearest friend, other than you. Let me rephrase that," she said gently. " _Second_ to you. He never came first. Look at me."

He raised his head at last, looking at the woman he loved so very much. "Frank, I love our family. It is a miracle that we have our babies, and that, in this whole world, we found each other. But I asked you about Joe before, and, to me, it is exactly the same. If you get past your insecurity about Johnny, you would see that it's true. If that darling baby is Johnny's daughter, yes- I do want to raise her as part of our family. No one loved her dad more than I did, and few knew him as well as you did. He was as much a family member to me as Joe is to you, and on some level I think you get that."

"I do," he nodded, as his mind started clearing. As much as it pained him, she had a very valid point. He HAD been wrong to resent Johnny just the slightest bit; it had really been himself that was the target of his guilt and resentment. He'd just never thought consciously about how the two issues were related… until now.

"If you really cannot have her as a part of our family, I… I'm going to have to accept that, and I will. It will take a long time, honestly, but I will not cause you pain because I can't let her go. That's MY issue. I would have hoped you would have wanted her because of how you felt about Johnny, and, now that you can hopefully let that resentment go, maybe you'll consider it."

He nodded. "I will."

She offered him a wan smile. "Baby, if you really don't think that you could give her that love that any child would deserve, then we SHOULDN'T have her. I can't blame you for being honest. If you think it would cause too much strain on our family, on our marriage, then we have to talk about it, and I would have to agree with you. And yes-" She turned from him and sighed sadly. "I've thought about the timing. I was photographed with Johnny while I was very pregnant with JJ, and inevitably some people- the press- may say that she is my child with him. And that may be too much for you to handle- I DO understand that. But just know- I don't care what anyone THINKS. We know each other; we know our families and friends; we knew Johnny. Rumors don't bother me."

After a few minutes, he stood. He felt like there had been an explosion, and somehow he and Callie had survived, though they were now uncertain of their standing; in a familiar place, yet still somehow lost. He felt drained and weak and confused now, but oddly cleansed and relieved. He was pretty sure that across the terrain of what lay ahead, no more weapons would be used; no more bombs detonated that could tear them apart.

"Let's find her first," he finally told her. "Let's see that she's real. If she is, we need to see if she is Johnny's baby. And then let's get her to safety. Can we agree that that is what's important now?"

"Absolutely," she agreed.

They stood awkwardly next to each other. There had been so much spoken, so many emotions unleashed. If they survived this, he knew they would be stronger than ever. But they had to heal.

"I guess I should let you get to bed," he said quietly after a few moments. "The kids are in their cribs in our room. I… I mean, I don't want to wake you when I get the call."

She looked up at him, and he couldn't read her expression. "You… want to stay down here?" she asked, quietly.

He could only shrug. "I mean… maybe it's best."

"Maybe," she mouthed. "Good night."

"Good night," he repeated. "I love you," he assured her. The words were as natural as breathing, even now.

She smiled weakly and nodded, as she headed up the stairs.

He knew how relatively fortunate they had been to get through that talk intact.

Frank numbly grabbed an extra blanket and pillow from the downstairs closet, threw them on the couch, laid down, and tried to close his eyes. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept apart from Callie when they were together and he felt incomplete without her next to him. Her words echoed again and again in his ears, and every time that one sentence surfaced, he clenched his fists." _It wasn't your fault."_ His eyes burned.

Was that what it was all about? Maybe… maybe it was. Maybe everything was secondary to that. He couldn't ever forgive himself for that… could he? And, in the process, would everything else follow?

He silently and shamefully apologized to Johnny, who had helped Callie through the hardest time of her life when he hadn't been there; who had been a steadfast and loyal friend to him when he really needed one; who had brought laughter, light, and love to everyone's life with his over the top antics and extraordinary generosity; who had lost his own life protecting Callie; whose hand he had held as he died.

Frank fought tears. He would do right by his friend, one way or another; that he knew. It was so very hard navigating these uncertain waters. He'd been honest with Callie, but not with himself. He hated these feelings of doubt and insecurity, but he had faith that he could rise above them. He still didn't know how to make sense of everything, but he would. In time.

 _It was so complicated._ On the tiniest level, he had always been jealous of John, of the man who had done right by Callie when he had done her wrong, who Callie loved so much. Would seeing that child, if she was John's daughter, remind him constantly of what could have been with Callie and John, or serve as a constant reminder of her terrible attack, when Callie and John had forged their close bond? Yet, he had grown to love John, too, who had been his confidante and second brother. He had learned to trust John implicitly. And then there was the fact that he and Callie would have three children so young-it would be overwhelming; there would be press and intrusiveness. COULD he love anyone as he loved his own babies? He didn't know. If he didn't save her-what then? If he did save her- the same question remained.

 _It was so simple._ Callie was right; this was about his inability to protect her at the worst time in her life and all of the horrific consequences that had followed that one night. He loved Callie. He loved John. And there was only one right path to take: the right one, the moral one.

He just needed a little bit of time to process it all. Thank god he had Joe; his brother, his best friend, who always understood and supported him, no matter what. Even last year, he would have pulled back a little, ever aware of being the good role model. But now, he'd learned that the closest relationships were the ones that involved complete honesty, and Joe had not let him down. In fact, Joe seemed to hold him in even higher esteem now that he wasn't trying so damned hard to be anything but himself.

Soon enough, he fell into a restless sleep, found himself reaching for Callie several times throughout the night. Cases, Callie, Johnny, that little baby girl, little Stella, Jessica's screams, that night so many years ago…

He was just about to give up on sleep at all when he heard the slightest stirring beside him and forced his bleary eyes open.

"I forgot to say I love you back," Callie whispered quietly to him, gently brushing the hair from his forehead. "We'll get through this. We have to."

Wordlessly, he moved over so she could climb onto the couch and snuggle beside him, and he covered them both with the blanket as he wrapped her in his arms. Within moments, they had both slipped into a sound and, finally, contented sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Note:** _Thank you so much to those of you who left comments on the last chapter: Drumboy100, Guests (various), Hero76, FANHB08, sm2003495, hbndgirl, Ritu, candylou, Paulina Ann, Caranath, max2013, EvergreenDreamweaver, BMSH, ChrisCorso, and ErinJordan. Your feedback always makes me think and I am appreciative of the support and suggestions. This chapter flips to Callie before the action picks up. I am trying to work on balancing how the guys will intellectually solve the case while simultaneously advancing to the action and exploring each character in depth, my favorite thing to do! I'm also trying to show more of who Johnny was via flashbacks... and, based on those flashbacks, who Frank, Joe, Callie, and others were/are as well._

 _I believe that I sent PM's to everyone who had a registered account. Several people did not, so to the following people:_

 _1\. Guest: Regarding Jessica, she is Stella's mother. Lorenzo is her brother and Josh was her boyfriend._

 _2\. Guest: Hello..._

 _3\. Guest: Thank you for remembering the detail about Callie coming onto John in "The Stages of Conviction." She did indeed, but that was immediately after her attack when she was suffering PTSD and wasn't thinking straight. She and John both knew that, and Callie DID tell Frank everything about that time. She has always been honest about her background._

 _4\. Ritu, you're lovely and I always appreciate your sweet feedback. I am a big Callie fan because in the early years of FanFiction, no one was... many writers demonized her for some reason I cannot understand. I would think Frank Hardy would want a solid, smart, good person by his side. I don't know if I will be writing any more after this story, but I'll never say never. I may do shorter works or a one shot here and there. We shall see. It depends on the muses and if people even have an interest in seeing more in this arc._

 _5\. Candylou, thanks for your kind words and insights. Frank just needs a little time to get it together; he's trying really hard._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 10

Callie cried, something she almost never did, wrapping her arms around herself as sat on her bed, pictures of Johnny spread in front of her. Finally, after almost two years, she had opened the envelope of pictures that he had left for her, stuffed inside the great financial gift to her and Frank, almost as if he had known in some strange way that his beautiful, bright star was not meant to burn long. She finally let the overwhelming emotions out, allowing herself to mourn privately for her dearest friend, the only other man with whom she could have fallen in love if the universe had aligned in the slightest different way.

She looked at the ruby ring she always wore on her right hand, a gift from Johnny several years ago. Her heart ached at his loss, an emptiness that could never be filled no matter how hard she tried to pretend it could be.

She sat back against the headboard, trying in vain to stop the tears. But now, it was as if the dam had opened, and there was no stopping it.

He was everywhere. She had FELT his presence almost overwhelmingly this month, and she had brushed it off, knowing that the anniversary of both his birth and death were coming in the next few weeks. But maybe it was something more. Maybe it was a sign. Maybe it was him reaching out to her from beyond trying to ask for her help.

Johnny had a baby girl. She knew it was true.

And she could never, ever let someone else raise that child.

Unconsciously, she covered her stomach, a womb that would never again be able to hold life, and tried to control her breathing. She had been so blessed in her life, more than she ever could have imagined. She had solid, selfless parents and extended family, two miracle children who now defined her meaning in life, and her soulmate, the deepest, most precious and passionate love she had ever found, in Frank. She had a brother in Joe and a sister in Vanessa, friends, a top notch education, a purposeful job that she loved, financial security. For all of those things, she was grateful beyond belief.

She had even come to terms with the vicious, vile attack that had been perpetrated upon her, though she allowed herself to cry now, too, for the first time in years about it; for the night of agony, the years of recovery, and the lifetime of strength that she needed to keep her wits about her as a result of it. The unfairness of it all… she had always wanted a big family, and for years- _years_ \- she had believed she couldn't have any children. And the truth was, had it not been for two miracles and top notch medical care, she never would have sustained the pregnancies that she had. She hated to admit how deeply it pained her that she would never again have children; she and Frank may have decided not to, but the fact remained that the choice had been taken away from her, and it left her… empty.

Johnny had been taken away from her, too, and she still missed him every day. But now… but now maybe she could have a part of him back. God, he would have loved any child; he had told her that countless times. She rubbed her forehead, thinking of the utter joy he had felt, how excited he had been, when she had become pregnant. He had died in the same week that her son had been born. He had never seen his namesake.

How had this happened?

Instantly, her mind flashed back to that Christmas before he had died, before the Cotnig case had taken him and destroyed so many lives. She had only started feeling a little off at four months pregnant, her medical issues not even a reality at that point, and she had flown out to Malibu to spend an extended weekend with him while he had a weekend off from a movie shoot and Frank and Joe were on a case in Maine.

" _I will never NOT appreciate this life," Johnny told her as he smiled at her from the reclining chair adjacent to her and laced his fingers through hers. It was a gorgeous, perfect California day and they were lounging outside on the private stretch of beach he owned outside his Malibu home._

 _Callie smiled as she looked out at the ocean, pulling down the wide brim on her sunhat and squeezing his hand. "I mean, it does beat the days we had to scrimp and save to earn enough money to use the pool at the YMCA," she admitted, giggling._

 _John laughed. "No joke! We couldn't even relax for two seconds. Remember when I found that diaper in the pool? I couldn't swim again for a month before I got my nerve up again."_

 _Callie nodded, the grin still on her face. "Yeah, so then you got the great idea to teach me how to surf, only you couldn't afford a surfboard, so we rented one from that old beach shack and it split in half when we were way back in the ocean! I thought I would die of exhaustion trying to swim to shore or be attacked by a shark along the way!" She started laughing. "We had so much fun, Johnny. No matter how little we each had, we made the most of it."_

" _We sure did," John agreed. "Now look at you! Married to Frank, a baby on the way…" He sat up and turned to her. "I am so happy for you," he told her, and, in a rare moment of seriousness, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. "You deserve the world, and I love you so much, sweetheart."_

 _Callie turned to him, resting her hands on both sides of his face. "YOU deserve the world, and I love you so much, too." She leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Now stop being so serious and enjoy this amazing life."_

 _John smiled again and reached for her hands as he faced her. "Can I tell you something?"_

" _Don't you always?" she questioned back, teasing._

 _John pulled down his sunglasses and rolled his eyes before taking them off. "I wanted to thank you for coming all the way out to see me. I know I'll see you and Frank in three months, but it's been so long. And the holidays are always kind of lonely. My Christmas will be spent with my director on location in Ireland."_

" _Oh, honey," Callie replied, "you can stay with us anytime you want."_

" _I'm not asking you to feel bad for me," Johnny answered. "I mean, who can complain, right?! It's just that you're my family and…." He sighed, and she squeezed his hands._

" _What, Johnny?" she asked, with concern._

" _You never judge me, and you tell it like it is. You don't care about money or fame or anything, and you know who I really am. And so does Frank. And your Bayport friends are really cool, too. But you will always be my best friend and I need some best friend advice."_

" _Okay…" Callie replied, patient._

" _So… I messed up. Big time. UGH!" He released her hands and leaned against the chair, pushing back his golden brown hair._

" _What'd you do?" Callie tried not to smile. "Let's face it, Johnny. You tend to attract some wildness in your life. You're a little out of your mind."_

 _John stared at her for a few seconds before laughing. "I choose to be entertained by that and not offended."_

" _Of course!" Callie replied lightly. "Spit it out. No need for long, drawn out, circuitous tales, my dear."_

" _Says the woman, a master in silence," he joked._

" _John!" she retorted. "Let's do it. Get to the point."_

" _Okay," he began. "So I was seeing this guy for a few months, and…"_

" _You were? Why didn't you tell me?!" she squealed delightedly._

" _Let's do it, John," he parroted back to her, teasing. "Get to the point."_

" _Sorry," she murmured, with a small laugh. "Go ahead."_

" _I'll be brief," he agreed, but she could see the worry in his eyes. "It was a pretty bad breakup. I mean, I liked him a lot, and he cheated on me. So I went out one night, got completely wasted- thank god the press didn't catch wind of it- and ended up hooking up with this girl. Then she left, and I have no way to get in touch with her. I… what happened?" he finished with a sigh. "I feel like an awful human being."_

 _Callie sucked in her breath. "Okay. Wow," she managed. "That's a lot to process."_

" _Yup," John replied. "I'm sorry. I apologize. I want to be the good person you believe me to be, and I wasn't." Despite his deep tan, she could tell he was blushing._

" _John," she found herself saying quietly, "look at me."_

 _He met her eyes._

" _You do not owe me an apology. You have set the golden standard for friendship, and I will always support you unconditionally."_

" _But…" he started, and she cut him off._

" _I know what you're feeling. Honey, you were hurt and you lashed out. No one can blame you for that. It's been years since you've been with women, right? College was the last time… and you struggled so much then to figure out your sexuality. You know who you are, and one drunken night doesn't negate that."_

" _Thanks, Cal," he said at last. "I know. But I think I needed to hear it from you."_

 _She rubbed his arm. "You… I mean… it was consensual, I assume." She hated that her voice shook on that question._

 _Johnny looked shocked. "Of course. God!" He stood for a moment. "Really?! It's bad enough I was drunk, but I would never…"_

 _She stood next to him. "I know. I had to ask."_

" _Did you?!" he asked pointedly. "Yes, it was. Want details?" He was almost shouting, obviously having been upset by her question. "It was at a club, late at night. She came onto me and I didn't stop her. I didn't want to think and I didn't want to feel, but all I've been doing the past two weeks is thinking and feeling terrible. I'm over those crazy days, Callie. They ended in college… with you!" He threw up his hands. "You always saw the best in me; you always saw the glass half-full. Instead of letting my life pull you down, you raised me up. I'm sorry I let you down now."_

 _She went to respond, but felt lightheaded and shaky, something she now knew was the start of her severe anemia, but which she didn't know then. Her heart started racing and she found it hard to breathe as black dots started to swim in front of her eyes._

 _She didn't remember how she ended up back in the house; all she remembered was talking to an EMT later, who had cleared her after checking her out but advised that she see a doctor upon her return home. Then she had slept and slept and slept before waking up the next day groggily, seeing Johnny sitting beside her._

 _He told her that he had called Frank, who was on his way to California as they spoke, and his green eyes were filled with concern. She sat up weakly and nodded at him, and, in the next minute, she was securely in his arms. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. "God, I never meant to upset you."_

 _Callie closed her eyes and snuggled against him. "You didn't," she answered. Slowly opening her eyes, she pulled back slightly from him as the magnitude of what had happened dawned on her._

" _The baby's okay," Johnny replied, answering her unasked question. "Thank god."_

 _She nodded. "I'm a little scared," she admitted in a soft voice._

 _Johnny held her closer, and she clung to him, wishing that Frank were there with her, and she was in his arms, instead._

" _He's coming," he responded, again as though he could read her thoughts. "But I'm going to take care of you until he arrives."_

" _You always do," she managed._

 _She must have fallen asleep again, because when she woke up at the sound of beeping from a text message, she was alone. Frank had texted not an hour ago that he was on the way, and she smiled, comforted, needing him there. She stood, feeling much stronger, took a quick shower, and changed. Then she walked into the living room, moving next to Johnny, who had stood at her arrival._

 _She motioned for him to sit down and she sat on his lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "Thank you," she told him. "I'm okay now, but I WILL feel better when Frank is here and I see a doctor. It could have been anything. Please don't think for a second it's your fault."_

 _Johnny nodded, but she could see he wasn't convinced. "You are incapable of doing bad, John." At that, he met her eyes. "You have been my best friend for years and you put your whole life on hold to take care of me…"_

" _Don't," he cut in. "Don't go there."_

" _My point is, John John," she went on, still looking into his eyes, "that you are a selfless, amazing person. Someone hurt you and what did you do? You lashed out and ended up hurting yourself instead of anyone else. You had a one night stand, which everyone in the world seems to have done- well, except for me and Frank- " she laughed softly. "So what? You tried to find her; she didn't want to be found. She pursued you and took advantage of who you were. You shouldn't have done it, but live and learn. How many times have you told me not to be defined by what is in the past?"_

" _Thanks, sweetheart," he said softly, and she saw the tears in his eyes. "Besides," he went on, "I couldn't be straight or I would have married you a long time ago and Frank's loss would have been my gain." He winked at her as he wiped back his tears._

 _Callie laughed."Oh, right. Obviously."_

 _He smiled back. "It worked out, though. I ended up with the most beautiful best friend in the world and her really handsome but totally off the market husband as one of my closest friends. And-" he gently touched her stomach, as she had just started showing, "you are going to have a beautiful baby who I will spoil rotten. No kidding- Joe Hardy and I may come to blows over the status as #1 Uncle."_

 _Callie grinned and rolled her eyes. "You have to share. I love him, too."_

" _I mean, I guess." He sighed dramatically, teasing her._

" _Ready?" she asked him. "Let's look for my husband. He should be arriving pretty soon."_

 _Johnny took her hand as he stood next to her and then, impulsively, hugged her to him. She would never forget the look in his eyes or his next words, which now resonated more clearly than ever._

" _You need to take care of yourself, Callie." His eyes shone with conviction. "I love you with my whole heart. I swear to you that I will love your children with all that I have forever and treat them as my own. I know this might be selfish, but I know that I won't ever have my own children, so I want to leave a little of me with yours." His voice cut out._

 _Callie fought her own tears. All that was unspoken was in that silence: his regret at not having his own biological children to hold true to who he was; his deep buried fear, which only she really knew, about being alone, since his parents were now dead and he was an only child; his need to be accepted and embraced for who he was, not what he could offer others. "My baby- babies?!-" she let out a little laugh, "-will love you so much," she whispered. "Frank and I are your family, Johnny. I would trust you with my child like I know you would trust me with yours. See what happens one day. You can adopt, you know." She gave him a small wink._

" _You're right," he said at last. "Come on," he went on, releasing her and taking her hand. "Let's wait out front. No more baby talk for now. There will be plenty of time for that."_

Only there hadn't been time. He was gone three months later.

Callie reached for a tissue and wiped her eyes. She could hear his words, picture the look in his eyes, and feel his arms around her now as of it were yesterday. She would stop crying now; he would want that.

But she would not betray her words to him; his to her. Johnny WOULD have adored JJ and Laurie, and, if it was true that he had a daughter- and the timeline and his words supported that truth- then she would love that child as if she would her own.

"But at what cost?" she whispered out loud.

Could she ask that sacrifice of Frank, to raise another man's child as his own, no matter how good of a friend he was? She knew that Frank loved Johnny, too, but deep down she had always known that Frank had the slightest insecurity about him, accepting him totally but never quite totally at peace with the fact that she could love another man as she did- would Johnny's baby exacerbate that insecurity and would Frank, subconsciously, take it out on Johnny's child by distancing himself from her?

And, even in a perfect world, married three years and having three children under two was almost overwhelming. Would it be too much for them to handle?

All this… IF it was true. And then, IF Frank and Joe could save her from a horrible monster. The thought made her stomach turn.

She loved Frank deeply; he was everything to her. Frank was her best friend in the world, her soul's companion, and they shared the most passionate and intensely beautiful love she had ever known; would ever know.

No- Frank had to come first, before Johnny. She knew that. There was no one Frank would ever come second to with her.

But she did love Johnny, too, and would love his child; she was already invested, based on that one picture, when she saw Johnny looking right into her eyes through that beautiful baby.

She looked at her hands, the right one sporting the ruby ring Johnny had given her, the left one her gorgeous wedding and engagement rings.

She closed her eyes and prayed for guidance, clasping her hands, her left hand instinctively covering her right one. It had always been that way… and she knew it always would be; as it should be.

But she needed both hands to be whole.

What was she going to do?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A knock on the door snapped her from her reverie. Grabbing a tissue, she dabbed at her eyes and flipped on the camera focused on the front door, surprised when she saw Joe there. She thought he would have been busy on one of the many cases in which he was involved.

Uttering a quick prayer of thanks that both kids were still napping, she quickly got out of bed and went down the stairs, opening the door.

"Hey," she told him as she ushered him into the house. "What are you doing here?"

Joe smiled at her as he entered, immediately noticing her red-rimmed eyes. Yes, coming here to see her had been the right thing to do. "I literally have only 15 minutes," Joe told her as he kissed her cheek, "but I wanted to see you."

"Is everything okay?" she asked him as he took off his jacket and threw it on the nearby table in the entrance-way.

Joe looked at her, his bright blue eyes full of compassion. "I thought that you might need a hug," he said, simply. "No offense, but by the look on your face, I think I may have been right."

Callie felt her lower lip tremble. "Why would you think that?" she asked, voice shaking.

"Come here," Joe sighed, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He kissed the top of her head as she hugged him back tightly. "I know about Johnny," he said softly. "I know about the baby. And I know Frank's reaction to the whole thing. I also know him well enough to know he processes things differently than… normal people." He smiled. "I knew he would be out on the Santitori case today, because he actually focuses better when he distracts himself- trust me."

Callie buried her face against his chest, just under his shoulder, and cut to the heart of the matter. "Oh, Joe," she whispered. "He might have had a daughter."

Gently, Joe pulled back and cupped her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. "Cal, I promise you that I'll find out. I give you my word. If Johnny had a daughter, I'll know, and so will you. Frank wants to know, too, believe it or not. He just… I know his reaction is a little weird. Just give him time to process everything, you know? On top of this news, yesterday was really traumatic for him. He needs time to work things out silently first. It's just his way."

Callie nodded as she fought tears. "I don't blame him," she said quietly. "He… he has his reasons. We talked a little, and we'll work it out. We… have to."

Joe smiled affectionately at her and kissed her forehead before dropping his hands. "You will. You always do. Today, I wanted to promise you that I'll find out the truth. I also wanted to tell you that, while I don't really understand Frank's reaction, I do know him. No matter what you two decide, if that little girl is John's daughter, I know my brother. He will do the right thing, whatever he thinks that is. And I'm sure he'll talk to you about it. You'll work this out as a team, right? Team.. Frallie? Calank?" he teased her.

Callie nodded and managed a little smile. "You're a dork, but you're good to my husband. Team Jank… I'm partial to Team Froe. And you are always so good to me, too," she choked out. "Team Calloe? Team Jallie?"

"I like Jallie," he said softly, as he rubbed her back.

"I'm just… a little overwhelmed right now." She again wiped at her eyes.

"Of course you are, Cal." He squeezed her shoulder. "But please- it's so important- tell Frank to talk to me. I'm here for him. And I'm here for you, too. So is Van, and my parents, and yours. A lot of people love you both, and you'll get through this."

"You're a good guy, Joe," she replied, reaching for his hand. "Thank you."

"I also need you to help me," Joe told her, rubbing her hand in comfort. He was being serious and he needed her now.

"Anything. Of course," she agreed readily.

"You know most… not all… about Van's dad," he began.

Callie was surprised. "Where'd that come from?" she asked.

"Please, Cal. Just listen. Van loves you and she's trusted you with that information for a long time. Tell me the truth. Have you told my brother?"

Callie shook her head. "No. She asked me not to tell anyone a long time ago."

Joe nodded. "I appreciate that," he replied. "You know how to keep a secret."

Callie felt her face blush, and Joe's eyes grew wide. "Oh, god, Cal. I- that's not what I…" He stuttered. They'd never spoken of her secret since she had told him close to two months ago.

"It's okay," she said at last. "I know."

"Open mouth, insert foot," he joked, weakly, and was relieved when Callie just squeezed his hand.

"What did you want to tell me?" she asked.

Joe sighed before answering. "Cal, I hate secrets; I really do. But we all have them, and I can only hope that they won't come back to hurt us. I think Vanessa should tell people, because she is not her father, and she has nothing to be ashamed of, but that's not my call."

"No, it's not," Callie agreed, gently.

Joe smiled. "I'm telling you this because I'm looking into it soon with Biff. I told Van that I'm telling you. Don't worry about the details. Just please- if something goes wrong, when I'm with Biff… tell Frank. Vanessa will have the details."

"Something go wrong when you and Biff are together? Never," she teased.

Joe rolled his eyes. "Cal, I know you don't understand this. But I need this favor. Say nothing to Frank. But if you or Van don't hear from me three days after I leave- and I'll tell you when that is- call Vanessa and tell Frank. Got it?"

She nodded. "Okay. You have my word."

"Good enough," he replied. He grabbed his jacket and threw it on after releasing her hand. He met her eyes as he got ready to go. "Hey," he reminded her. "Remember what I said. I'll get answers for you; trust my brother and talk to him; and know I'm here for you and I love you both." He leaned down and hugged her tightly.

"Thank you," she told him as she pulled away. "You're semi-endearing at times." Her eyes shone with affection.

Joe laughed. "You're not," he replied, winked, and headed out the door.

Mission one of the day was accomplished, at least.


	11. Chapter 11

**Note:** _As always, thanks for those of you who have Favorited and Followed the story._ _T_ _hank you to the following people who were kind enough to leave a much appreciated review on the last chapter: Caranath, hlahabibty, sm2003495, ErinJordan, max 2013, Ritu, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, hbndgirl, BMSH, BeeBee18, MooninScorpio (ch.9), and ChrisCorso._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 11

Several hours later, Joe sat in Biff's townhouse and stared at his computer screen, trying to avoid biting his nails, a habit he thought he had conquered long ago. He'd finally gotten a decent night's sleep, though his thoughts were frazzled. Soon, he would head with Biff to Atlantic City, and that whole situation was precarious at best, but Van needed answers, and he would give them to her. Pat had finally gotten back the call records and it turned out that Tanya Griffin had not, in fact, been out with her girlfriends on the night of her murder; at least, that's what the records showed. Her last call had been to a man who, Pat now knew, had a pretty bad past as well. In a few hours, he and Pat would follow up on that angle. Of course, the Santitori case was blowing up in the media, and the feds and Bayport PD were on full alert about mob retaliation for the death of the godfather. Plus, Frank was too emotionally involved in the case, which was the reason he apparently couldn't concentrate on his own issues.

Joe sighed heavily. His poor brother, who always thought he had to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Frank had tried to reach out to him when he'd stopped by the other night, and Joe was touched by that. But Frank still needed to open up more, because, truthfully, his reaction was a little strange to say the least.

Having seen Callie earlier and personally witnessing the deep pain in her eyes made him more determined than ever to help. But what he'd found… it was a lot.

Biff pulled over a chair in the dining room and looked over Joe's shoulder as he offered him a soda.

"Thanks, Biff," Joe replied, temporarily closing the screen and rubbing his eyes.

"Anytime," Biff replied cautiously. "How you doing?"

Joe met his eyes and let out a long, slow breath. He shook his head.

"Holy shit. It's true?" Biff questioned, incredulous.

"Looks that way," Joe admitted. He'd shared the whole story with Biff because he trusted him fully, and, truth be told, he needed some support. Checking out a subject so personal to his brother and Callie was difficult, and he couldn't ask them for help. Vanessa was too stressed out with the impending investigation into her father's life, and she was drained trying to balance work, caring for Evan, and taking care of herself with this pregnancy, which was already harder on her than the first one had been. They'd wanted their babies close together… well, HE had, always hoping to mirror the closeness he shared with his brother… but he now realized how hard it was on women to have back to back children. Watching Vanessa trying so hard to be positive while fighting hormones and seeing the stress on her body made him realize that their decision to hold off on more kids for the foreseeable future was the right one.

In any case, he had spoken with both Biff and Pat, who was running prints on the envelope and keeping an eye on the JGF building in case more notes were dropped off. The lines had already been set up to trace calls. He would get answers for Cal and Frank, and he knew the sooner they knew what they were dealing with, the better it would be for all involved.

"So talk to me," Biff went on.

"It took awhile to get all the info, but it's there… and it's legit," Joe told him. "I can't believe it."

"Me, either," Biff agreed. He chuckled softly. "Man, Johnny would've been so freaking happy. You know him- he wasn't the serious type, but you could tell- he loved kids. I don't think he would have wanted anything more."

Joe nodded, not really surprised by this side to Biff which he probably knew better than anyone except Biff's fiancee, Karen. "I think so, too," Joe responded. "God- he had a little girl. He would have worshiped her."

"What did you find to make you so sure?" Biff queried.

Joe flipped open the laptop. He had about 50 tabs open, something he always did and that he knew drove his brother crazy. Like his home, like his life, it was organized chaos, and the system worked for him perfectly most of the time. Unsurprisingly, Biff didn't give it a second thought.

"Look," he said, opening a tab. "Official birth certificate record, to start."

Biff looked at the screen and smiled, gazing at the prints of the little baby feet. " _Hope Madison Gellers_ "- pretty name," Biff went on. "But why list John as the father and not tell him about her existence?"

"Good question, but I can actually answer that one, if you're really interested."

"Go ahead," Biff asked, curious.

"First of all, the mother's name was Amanda Madison, so you can see that she used her maiden name as the baby's middle name. I mean, that doesn't answer your question," Joe added wryly, "but if you didn't see that, it's kind of cute. And look- she was 7 pounds, 2 ounces and 21 inches… seems to be a nice, healthy little girl."

Biff nodded. "That's a good sign."

"It is," Joe acknowledged. " But to answer your other question...there's a lot of confusion surrounding the issue of single mother birth certificates. Legally including the father's name on a state-issued birth certificate requires his participation. So if he happens to be unavailable, it's a non-issue. Even if he was listed on the application, as he was, it wouldn't make it onto the actual birth certificate without his signature on a legal Paternity Acknowledgement form."

"So why do it, then?" Biff asked.

"Well, naming John as the father might not benefit her, but it might benefit the baby. I mean, Johnny died while this child was still a minor. If she was planning on telling him at some point, and legally acknowledged paternity by including him on the baby's birth certificate, then the baby would be eligible to receive Social Security death benefits. It had nothing to do with custody. A baby's father could formally request custody or visitation at any time—whether he's on the birth certificate or not. All he has to do is file a request with a local family court. If he were not already on the birth certificate, then the court's response would include paternity testing, but it wouldn't make the judge more or less likely to grant him custody or visitation. Also, if she received state or federal assistance, in the form of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, WIC, Section 8 housing, or any other form of assistance—or if she would apply for benefits in the future—the government would require her to name the child's father so that they could attempt to recover child support payments from him."

"Wait," Biff interrupted. "WAS she on government assistance? I mean, it's weirdly a good sign that she didn't contact John in some twisted way, right?"

"No and yes," Joe replied, stretching his arms back. "John had a right to know about that baby; I firmly believe that. But… yes, in that she didn't appear to be blackmailing him, or involving him in any scandal in the press, or extorting him for money. She seemed to be a pretty decent human being."

"Maybe she was waiting for awhile?" Biff questioned. "If she had reached out to him, what would he have had to do?"

Joe raised his brows for a moment, thinking it through. "What does the father need to do to be included on the birth certificate, you mean?" he asked. "Both parents would have to sign an affidavit legally acknowledging him as the birth father. The hospital could provide the mother or father with this paperwork after the baby's birth. He would not have to be present at the birth in order to be listed on the birth certificate; he'd just fill out the affidavit later. ****Honestly, Biff, the biggest problem in most cases is that fathers reject the paternity, because then they're on the hook for the child...as if the woman alone participated in the making of the baby. It's awful. We see it all the time. John would obviously not have done that."

"Hmm," Biff intoned. "I guess you're not as dumb as you look."

Joe shot him a look. "Yeah, thankfully you have the dumb and ugly thing covered enough for the both of us."

Biff just laughed. "What do you know about the mom? This Amanda?" he finally asked.

"She has a lot of social media pages: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. She seemed a little on the poorer side, but she seemed to love that child. Based on the searching I did, she had no family, only this guy… Doug Fuller… who was her boyfriend. I think he only came around a few months ago, and she looked like she was going to leave him… when she got in a car accident." Joe grew quieter as the dots began to connect.

"You found all that out from social media?" Biff asked.

"Yup," Joe replied, still thinking. "People are pretty stupid about protecting their privacy online. Everyone's lives are out there for the world to see, and you don't have to be a detective to figure things out. Even idiots could have found that info. You would have been good at it," he joked, and Biff squinted at him.

"Hilarious, Joe."

Joe chuckled softly before getting quiet again.

"What is it?" Biff asked, noting Joe's change in demeanor.

"If the guy was abusive, and she was leaving him, I just wonder. That car crash might not have been an 'accident.' I don't know. I'll have to think about it."

"You think he's the guy who took the baby now?" Biff asked, and Joe nodded.

"Pat should be getting back to me any minute to confirm it."

"Then shouldn't he be easy to find?" Biff asked.

"I hope so," Joe said quietly. "But it doesn't look good. He's got nothing to lose and everything to gain by reaching out to Callie. She's emotionally invested in this child; he's not. If he doesn't get the money, he has no reason to keep her alive. And if he was responsible for the death of Amanda… there's nothing to say he wouldn't kill again. He obviously knew about John. We have to get that baby, Biff. There's no alternative."

"Whatever you need, you know I'll help," Biff said, totally serious. "John was my friend. Callie and Frank… you know. They're my people."

"I know," Joe replied, grateful. "I have to meet up with Pat on the murder case, but I also need to call Frank and Callie and let them know. I'll reach out to Collig as well and get an APB out on Fuller. I'm back on that tonight as soon as Pat and I finish up."

"Hey," Biff said, patting his back. "I'm with you. Pat'll be off duty, but he'll be with you, too- I'll bet on it. Frank sure as hell will be on it unless something freaking major transpires in the Santitori case. Call Van- have her get Evan ready. Karen will be here in ten minutes. I'll take her and pick up Van and Evan, and I'll call Jaclyn, too, since Pat won't be around. I think Callie will need some support right now from her girls, since all the menfolk are off being all macho and hunting and gathering and everything. Is that okay?"

Joe rolled his eyes, stood along with Biff, and got ready to call Frank and Vanessa and Callie. He also had to meet Pat very shortly. There was so much to do, and it was almost overwhelming… and this was all without the answers that he needed to get for his wife. But looking at his best friend, he was grateful and felt very supported. Biff, for all his trouble and silliness, was a loyal, ride and die friend; truly his brother from another mother, as they often teased each other about.

"Thank you. Yes. That would be great." He jokingly punched Biff on the shoulder. "You're not as bad as people say you are."

"You ARE as much an idiot as people say YOU are," Biff replied.

Joe laughed as he headed for the door. "I'll see you later."

"Joe?" Biff asked, and Joe turned around. "Tell Frank and Callie… you know…"

Joe smiled softly."I know. I will. Love you, bro."

"Love you, too, sexy," Biff answered, and Joe snorted as he walked out the door.

Now… the really hard part of his day could begin.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank had just hung up the phone with his brother and tried to steady his breathing as he sat in his office at work. Joe had been hesitant, but he'd finally told Frank what he had already suspected: Johnny had a daughter; it really was true.

He put down the phone after thanking Joe profusely for investigating, what he really should have been the one to do. Now, he leaned down, crossed his arms, and rested his head in them. What was he going to do?

The conversation with Callie the other night, though necessary, still hurt, for so many reasons. She had been totally honest with him; understanding and sweet and sympathetic. Yet, she had said what was on her mind, and she was clearly overwhelmed as well. She had hit at the center of his heart, called to his attention once more what he thought she would never know… he would never forgive himself for her attack. He did blame himself. If he hadn't been so stupid and selfish, maybe she would have stayed with him on the east coast for college. Maybe she would have gone to California, but not stayed on for break and hence met John Gellers, and gone to a meeting to support him, and been viciously attacked on the way back. God… it all stemmed from him, and he'd kept that guilt locked away for years.

Or he thought he had.

As always, Callie knew him better than he knew himself. He'd have to reach out to his counselor again very soon, he knew, because he needed help, especially now. He couldn't be the one to put the pain in Callie's eyes, when she needed him so much. Their feelings were just so different that it was hard to find common ground.

Callie loved John unconditionally; he knew that and, deep down, accepted it. Her heart was still broken from his loss, though she tried to be strong and not talk about it often, perhaps sensing on some level that he wouldn't understand, and that hurt… because it was, if only slightly, true. As he blamed himself for the brutal crime that almost claimed her life and certainly altered it forever, he knew that Callie blamed herself for John's death, and he couldn't fix that pain for her. Callie had known that little baby was John's daughter the minute she had seen the picture, and she had fallen in love. In her eyes, he saw how badly she needed this child to love and raise and finally, through the baby, to make peace with herself and help to fill the void left by John's death.

He saw it differently. He saw the little girl and she was all mixed up in his mind with Stella Santitori and with Laurie. He loved his daughter so much; she was the light of his life, and he couldn't imagine ever being able to love another child as he loved her. Sighing, he tried to blink back the tears that threatened him. Maybe he was wrong. He didn't think he could love another child as much as he loved JJ, and then Laurie came along. He didn't think he could love anyone with the depth of his love for Callie, and then his children came along. Life was like that. But what if it was different this time?

And, to top it all off, his feelings for Johnny were so complex they were hard to articulate. He'd hated him at first, was incredibly jealous of his relationship with Callie. Then, he'd been so grateful for him, for the support he'd given Callie, for practically saving her life. Eventually they became reluctant friends, wary of each other, but bound forever through Callie. And then, over the years, they'd formed an incredibly close friendship, themselves. Frank felt his eyes burn. He had loved Johnny, seen him as a second brother. It was a relationship built on trust and mutual respect, and Johnny's kindness and intelligence was always present; when he had finally accepted Johnny and Callie's friendship, he'd opened himself up to see what he was about, and he liked what he saw. Soon, Johnny's lack of family and genuine love for Callie made him a member of their own family, and that's what he knew John to be- his brother.

But deep, deep down, he had always retained the tiniest bit of fear and jealousy that he managed to have kept hidden. John had been there for Callie when he had not been. He was rich, famous, movie-star handsome, and delightfully charismatic, and he could offer Callie everything that he couldn't. He was affectionate with Callie in a way that Frank never would have allowed anyone else to be, and, on some level, it hurt to watch Johnny hug and kiss her, dance with her, share her secrets.

God, it was so shameful. That man had given his life for Callie and Vanessa. He had been loyal and fun and a confidante that Frank had turned to many times, as Johnny had turned to him, when Callie couldn't deal with her past. They'd helped each other to help her, and, in turn, found a deep friendship. And Frank hated himself that he occasionally had those feelings of insecurity. Callie had been right: they'd never given him a reason to doubt their sincerity. He had to let logic win out here, because he had to help John's daughter.

And Callie. And himself.

He would call that counselor in the next week, and it was time Callie got back in touch with hers. Maybe they could even try a few sessions together, because they had to work through their self doubt. She was his soulmate, the love of his life, his best friend, and he knew they'd get through it, but they would have to minimize the damage. He had to start with himself to do it.

Thank god he had Joe; that Joe knew at least the very basic thing that had happened to Callie. He had never been able to talk about it before, and protecting her was like breathing. It just wasn't that easy to switch off ten years of silence. But Joe had never let him down, and maybe… yeah. Maybe it was time.

Picking up his head at the sound of his beeping phone, he took a deep breath. Later today, he'd meet up with Jessica Santitori again and try to get details. She would need help. Her boyfriend was dead, her daughter was missing and presumed dead, and she would clearly be a target of the Tanzini crime family.

Then he'd call Callie and try to comfort her. Joe had told him that he would call her first to confirm the news that this child was John's, but she would need him to assure her that they'd be okay and that he WOULD get the baby to safety. The baby...Hope… how appropriate.

He wanted desperately to go home to Callie and make love to her and forget the pain of the past week; replace the harsh words of last night with the tender words of love. But that wasn't going to happen now or anytime soon, until they could both slow down and make the time to find comfort in each others' arms. Time was their enemy now.

It was gnawing at him that he didn't have answers. He felt guilty and confused about how the whole negotiation had gone wrong in the first place; that would take methodical research to evaluate. They'd lost a fine officer in the process. There were many questions yet to be asked and answered.

Finally, he'd meet up with Joe and Biff and Pat and try to work out the details and get going with Johnny's case. He still had to call Collig and his dad.

It was so much to handle. Which is why, when he looked at the message, he couldn't process it at first. It was from Collig. _Come to office NOW. Another child missing! URGENT._

It was all he could do to breathe. _No. Not another child. Anything but that._

Seeing his dad coming towards his office, Frank knew he'd gotten the same message. It was time to go.

They needed answers, and he would get them.

No matter what.

 _****Info on birth certificates from: naming-the-father-on-the-birth-certificate-2997442_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Note:** Happy Easter and Passover to those who celebrate. As always, thanks for those of you who have Favorited and Followed the story. Thank you to the following people who were kind enough to leave a much appreciated review on the last chapter: sm2003495, drumboy100, Paulina Ann, Chris Corso, Candylou, max2013, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, ErinJordan, hbndgirl, and Caranath. I always enjoy seeing what you all had to say.:)_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 12

Joe met up with Pat at the station about two hours after he had left Biff's house. Pat greeted him at the door and waved him toward his patrol car, and Joe followed him to it and got inside.

The smell of delicious food wafted towards him, making his mouth water. It had been a few days since he'd eaten a real meal.

"Here you go," Pat told him, managing a small smile. "I know this has been a hell of a week. Eat up."

"Oh, man. This is awesome!" Joe replied, perking up at once as he opened the styrofoam container to find steak, potatoes, and grilled asparagus. "Takeout?"

"Jaclyn made it," Pat replied, yawning. "She brought me dinner and when I told her the hours you were working, she said it was no problem to make you a meal, too. She said she didn't want an undernourished groomsman."

Joe laughed as he started to dig in, taking a moment to close his eyes and let out a satisfactory sigh. "Oh my god. I've died and gone to heaven. Damn, this is delicious."

Pat smiled. "Well, I don't know that you're going up there when you kick it, so I'm glad you could get a little slice of heaven now."

Joe opened his eyes and chuckled. "Seriously. I'll probably go straight to Hell." He shrugged. "At least you and Biff will be with me. Let my beautiful wife and saintly brother bless us from above." He scooped a mouthful of potatoes.

"I don't know," Pat replied, yawning again and sipping a soda. "Frank could go either way. He's like…" Pat paused, searching for the right description, "the Boy Scout Leader in a camp for bad asses."

Joe almost choked as he started laughing. "That's not inaccurate," he finally said as he calmed down. "Please, thank Jaclyn for me. And stop yawning! You'll get me started again. Besides, you don't want to be soft, do you?" Joe's eyes sparkled as he teased his friend, referring to the term Pat had called him just the day before.

Pat shook his head and smiled. "Hilarious. Guess payback's a bitch, huh?"

"How long have you been on duty, bro?" Joe asked. "You look wiped out."

"Approximately," Pat looked at his watch, "thirty six hours straight."

Joe whistled. "You win."

"I could've done with losing, pal," Pat responded. "Come on. Let's check out the call on the Griffin case right now. Then I'm off duty, finally, for three days. My freaking luck, I'll be back tomorrow in court or on an emergency basis, but I am looking forward to sleeping. You have no idea."

"Oh, I get it," Joe replied, smiling."I bet Jaclyn will be happy to see you."

"Mmm," Pat responded, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, she's funny. She was all like, 'You have no idea what I want to do to you in bed when you get home'."

"Good for you, man," Joe replied, thinking of Vanessa for a moment.

"Only I was like, 'Baby, you said the magic word- BED- and if it involves tucking me and in and turning down the lights for about ten hours, I'm game."

Joe burst out laughing. "I'd say you're an idiot, but dude- sometimes, sex in not the three letter word you're interested in when you've been up for a few days straight. B-E-D is where's it at."

"Shit, we're old," Pat replied, and Joe nodded. He had to agree. "I mean, the day I would take sleep over sex and, like, watching _House Hunters_ or golfing over partying was a day I never thought would happen."

Joe snorted. "Nothing wrong with _House Hunters,_ brother. Golf? You ARE old. Sick bastard- you're worse off than I thought."

Pat just laughed, and Joe sat back as he finished eating. God, it was so nice to hang out with his friends sometimes. It would be even better if they weren't dealing with cases involving the kidnapped child of a good friend and a murder. But that was his life, and at least he had a really great brother and buddies to help out in times like these.

"So what's the plan?" he asked as Pat began to drive.

"Well," Pat answered through a yawn. "We got the call records back and turns out that Tanya's last call was to a guy named Kenneth Wright, not to one of her girlfriends."

"I assume he has a record?" Joe asked.

Pat glanced at him sidelong for a moment. "Does a bear poop in the woods?"

Joe shook his head and suppressed a smile. "Okay- how bad?"

"Not as awful as you'd think," Pat replied. "Surprisingly. Possession of pot. Simple assault. Minor theft. He's practically a saint."

"What's the connection to Tanya?" Joe asked.

"I did a little research there. Word on the street is that he's the ex-boyfriend, but it's a little hard to verify that. He's a family friend. He worked with them for a few years doing odds and ends."

"So he was the last person to see her alive? Guess we need to take him in," Joe said. "We can interview him at the station."

Pat nodded. "They met up at some location nearby; a store or gas station in the vicinity of 9th and Overbrooke, according to the GPS. Oh, and before I forget, I should tell you in an official capacity that you need to stay in the car while I do the arrest. Collig forbade me from taking you here."

"So we're following the usual protocol," Joe replied, not worried.

"Exactly," Pat replied. "But you legit have to stay in the car. I don't need your ass getting shot. Jaclyn would be pissed about uneven numbers on the guy and girl's side for pictures."

"Three months, man. Are you ready?" Joe asked.

Pat nodded, serious. "I am. I lucked out with her, you know? I don't know how the two of us ended up with such hot women, but we did. Must've been a momentary lapse on their part when they said yes."

"For sure," Joe agreed.

They pulled up at an older house in one of the seedier parts of Bayport, and Pat got out. "Wait here."

"Yup," Joe agreed, but he reached for his gun nonetheless and kept his hand on the door, never letting his eyes leave Pat.

He watched as Pat knocked on the door and identified himself, watched as the door opened.

Watched as all hell broke loose.

There were a series of shots that rang out and and Pat staggered back and collapsed onto the ground. Joe's eyes opened in horror. He immediately radioed for backup, yelling "Officer Down! Shots fired!" several times and radioing in his location. He ran out of the car, gun drawn, and arrived at where Pat lay on the ground, moaning, blood pouring from his shoulder and side. Despite that, with almost superhuman strength, he grabbed Joe and threw him down on the ground next to him. Gasping for breath, deathly pale, he huffed, "GET BACK IN THE CAR. GET DOWN."

Refusing, Joe took off his coat and placed it over Pat, immediately putting pressure on his shoulder as Pat cried out in pain. "Sorry, bro," he said as he reached for Pat's hand and squeezed it. "Hang in there. Breathe. Don't move. You'll be okay. You're okay." Joe's heart was pounding and he fought tears and he held onto his friend's hand. He was hurt badly; that much was obvious, and he was in terrible pain.

"Joe," he whispered, and Joe saw he was having difficulty breathing. "If something happens…"

"You'll be okay," Joe repeated, but he knew it wasn't the time for platitudes. He touched Pat's chest lightly, rubbed his hand. "But I'll tell her," he choked out. "And your family."

Pat nodded, face contorted in pain as he tried to breathe.

Another round of shots, as sirens wailed in the distance.

Joe ducked and threw himself over Pat, who was almost unconscious, and watched as a tall, skinny white man ran out of the house, aiming his gun right at Joe, who reached down and fired his own weapon— one, two, three times.

The man continued to run away, but he had cried out loud, was half limping into the dark night. Normally, he'd run after him, take him down without a second thought. But tonight was anything but normal, and one of his best friends was seriously hurt.

"Pat, hang in there, buddy," he whispered as tears cascaded from his eyes. He reached down and pulled a now unconscious Pat into his arms, both of them now covered in Pat's blood. He leaned his forehead against Pat's as the backup cruisers and ambulance arrived.

"You're okay, you're okay," he whispered over and over.

But he wasn't. Joe knew a serious injury when he saw it. And when the medics arrived, letting Pat go was physically painful.

Praying hard, physically shaking, he took out his phone. On the third ring, the phone clicked on.

"Jaclyn? It's Joe. Call Sean. Meet me at Bayport General. There's been an accident."

When he heard the terror in her voice, he added, "a patrol car will pick you up. Hurry."

He repeated the message to Pat's father, Lieutenant Merkel of the Spotswood force, asking him to again contact Sean, Pat's big brother.

And then, he called his own big brother, too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"That way- he went that way," Joe huffed as he pointed in the direction in which the assailant had taken off. He wouldn't get far, Joe knew that. He'd hit him when he'd fired. As several officers ran in that direction, Joe tried to get in the ambulance with Pat.

He found himself pulled back instantly.

"Get in the car," Collig told him. "Now."

"Chief, COME ON!" Joe yelled. "That's Pat! Let..." He tried unsuccessfully to break free of Collig's shockingly firm grasp.

"Joe," Collig hissed in his ear, "Get the hell in my patrol car or I will cuff you right now, I swear to God."

Joe turned to him, flabbergasted. His heart was pounding, and he needed to get to Pat. "I need to go to the hospital!" Joe shouted. He couldn't believe it- what the hell was Collig's problem?

Before he could argue further, he felt an officer cuff him and almost push him into the patrol car. The doors were locked immediately and Collig got in the driver's seat as the chaos outside erupted and the ambulance took off, sirens blaring. The officer who had handcuffed him, John Daniels, got in beside Collig, and they took off.

Joe lost his cool and set forth a string of expletives so strong that he was almost surprised that Collig didn't just turn around and shoot him. He kicked the seat several times; called out to Collig- cursed him, begged him, tried anything he could think of to get the hell out of that car. And when they pulled up to the station instead of the hospital, Joe was shaking with rage.

Collig dismissed Officer Daniels and finally turned around, eyes deadly calm."You are going to shut the hell up right now and calm down or I will have you thrown in jail. I'm going to uncuff you in two minutes and you are going to follow me silently to my office and where you will listen to me and do exactly what I tell you to do. If you do that, MAYBE we can get to the hospital. If not, I will leave you here. Got it?"

Joe was furious, trembling, tears streaming down his face. He had no choice. He needed to get to Pat right now and if he had to shut up to do it, he would. But he would never forgive Collig for this.

Five minutes later, arms free at last, Joe entered Collig's office. Collig shut the door and closed the blinds.

"I don't even want to know what you and Officer Merkel were doing, why you were with him, but you're potentially in a shitload of trouble. I'm letting you know that." Collig's voice was serious, his eyes boring into Joe's.

"I don't give a fu-" Joe began, but Collig cut him off.

"You'd better start to, damnit!" he yelled. "Your friend, my officer, is in critical condition. I got a call on the way here. He's barely hanging on. So I need you to be quiet and listen to me!"

Joe found himself taking shaky, unsteady breaths, fighting tears, as his fury began to diminish and to get replaced by fear and grief.

Collig walked to a filing cabinet, reached in, and handed him BAYPD sweatpants and a sweatshirt. "Get changed, right now," he ordered, sternly. "Right here."

Numbly, Joe stripped off his clothing and placed it in the large plastic bag that Collig held out to him. He slipped on the new apparel.

He didn't trust himself to speak.

Collig finally walked over to him and did the absolute last thing Joe would have expected. He reached out for him and wrapped his arms around him tightly, hugging him. All at once, everything overwhelmed him, and he raised a shaking hand to cover his face as he cried against Collig's shoulder.

"Joe," Collig said, very softly, and suddenly he was his father's best friend, practically his own second father, and not the man who rode him mercilessly and pushed him to up his game, always. "Son, I needed to take you here," he began, rubbing Joe's neck. "You're going to have the investigations unit all over you, so you just defer to me. I'll protect you."

Joe only sobbed harder. Collig continued. "I don't give a shit that you broke protocol tonight. If you didn't, Pat would be dead. You called for backup. This is _my_ screw up. We're so overburdened here. Pat was overworked, exhausted, and should have had a partner go with him to make any type of arrest. This is not your fault."

Finally, Joe pulled away, eyes red rimmed and glassy. "It's not your fault, either," he choked out.

Collig swallowed hard, trying to control his emotions. "This week I have to bury an officer who left behind a wife and three young kids because a negotiation went south. I will be damned if I will bury another one without a hell of a fight." He cuffed the back of Joe's head. "Son, evidence aside, protocol aside, I could not let your family, Pat's family, see you covered in his blood. They'd be traumatized."

Joe inhaled a breath sharply. He hadn't even thought of that.

"And I tried to keep you out of sight so that you don't lose your reputation as a top notch detective because you can't keep your cool. You've got to get it together, Joe. For Jaclyn and Pat's family." Finally, Collig's eyes shone with tears. "I love that kid. He's a fine cop and a finer person. You may have saved his life today. Now let's go and see if we can't help his family. It's the least we could do. I called your dad and brother in the car; they're on the way."

Joe wiped his eyes. Collig was right. He'd looked out for him and protected him and encouraged him, and now, at least, Joe could focus… no matter what.

Instinctively, he reached over and hugged him. "Thanks, Uncle Ezra," he whispered, a term that he and Frank had grown up calling him, before he'd become publicly and then soon privately, "Chief."

He pulled back.

Collig simply nodded, squeezed his shoulder, and ushered him through the door, where, Joe knew, a patrol care would be waiting to take them both to Bayport General.

It would be both one of the shortest and longest rides of his life.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Note:** You have probably all noticed by now that my chapters are long. This one is REALLY long (over 6,000 words). Just a heads-up! As always, thanks to those of you who have Favorited and Followed the story. Thank you especially to the following people who were kind enough to leave a much appreciated review on the last chapter: Hero 76, EvergreenDreamweaver, FANHB08, Drumboy100, BMSH, sm2003495, Caranath, hlahabibty, Paulina Ann, max2013, hbndgirl, ErinJordan, candylou, and Chris Corso. I always enjoy seeing what you all had to say.:)_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 13

Frank checked his watch and hurried through the lobby at Bayport General. As soon as he'd gotten Joe's call, nothing else mattered. Pat was seriously hurt, and Joe had been there. He'd sounded completely shaken.

He had been on the way to see about the latest missing child case with his father, to meet the FBI agent in charge and probably Collig, when the call had come through. And now, while his dad parked the car, he was waiting for the damned elevator to take him to the waiting room.

The cruiser had come to to pick up Jaclyn, Pat's fiancee, at Frank's house, where she had been with Callie, Vanessa, and Karen, Biff's fiancee. And now all of the women were waiting together for an update, and he could only pray that he would have some hopeful news to deliver.

As he stepped onto the elevator, Frank found himself both touched and horrified by the amount of officers. Clearly, the vast majority were not supposed to be there, and he was aware that if he didn't know the whole department, have his father, or have a direct connection to Collig, there would be no way he'd be allowed up.

When the doors opened, Frank waved solemnly at a few officers. In the distance, he saw Jaclyn sitting with her parents, Pat's brother, Sean, and Pat's parents. The Merkel family was a formidable presence in Bayport's surrounding towns. Pat and his cousins, uncles, grandfather and father were all in some form of law enforcement, and they were known to be among the finest in the field. Pat had purposefully left the towns at which he had family connections and started at the bottom in the Bayport PD, where he soon became a closeted favorite of Chief Collig and gained a reputation as a brave officer on the front lines who was never afraid to take risks and who often broke a lot of rules but who managed to get the job done, somehow, someway.

And he and Joe had hit it off right away, having similar temperaments and ways of getting things done. The fact that both of them also were laid back and enjoyed the wild, fun, carefree things in life had made them fast friends, and they were quite a pair when they often worked together. Collig was hard as hell on both of them, but Frank knew that he had a huge soft spot in his heart for them at the same time.

He saw Joe off in a corner by himself, sitting on a chair, looking down. Frank froze for a moment. The sight of his ebullient, outgoing brother who was always surrounded by friends, sitting alone, head in his hands, was disconcerting. Yet, as he watched Joe slowly lift his head and turn in his direction, as if he somehow sensed his presence, everything else melted away.

He was the older brother, and his sole purpose right now was to comfort Joe as best he could.

Joe stood when he saw him, and the look of despair in his eyes almost broke Frank's heart. Without thinking, Frank walked to Joe and embraced him tightly. He rubbed Joe's back gently, and didn't speak for several minutes as Joe held onto him for support, uncharacteristically at a loss for words, himself. Finally, Frank spoke, trusting his instinct instead of his intellect. "I'm so sorry you're going through this. I wish I could tell you that it'll be okay and I could offer you all of these… empty reassurances, but I can't."

Joe pulled back slowly and met his eyes, his own red and glassy. "I know," he whispered.

Frank reached out to him and rubbed Joe's right arm. "I CAN promise you that I'll be here for you, whatever you need, whenever you need me. You don't need to pretend with me. I know you're scared; I am, too. I can't imagine how you must have felt. But you can talk to me about it. I'm here to listen."

Joe crossed his arms and fought to keep his lips from trembling. "Frank, God. It was so awful. Everything happened so quick. I mean, one minute, we were joking about…" All of a sudden, his eyes grew wide and he appeared to have difficulty swallowing.

"What is it?" Frank asked, full of compassion. "Tell me."

Joe took a shaky breath. "He told me he didn't want me to get shot and to stay in the car. He said…" Joe choked out… "that if we died, we'd both go straight to hell."

Frank found himself smiling slightly and Joe looked completed confused.

"I could see Pat saying that," he said, simply. And, after a good minute, finally Joe managed a small smile, too.

"Yeah."

"Any word on his condition?" Frank asked, gently.

Joe shook his head. "The doctors…" he began, but he was cut off when two doctors came into the other side of the waiting room, now surrounded by police officers, and asked to speak to Pat's family privately.

Frank looked at his brother, could almost feel the pounding of Joe's heart in his own chest. And, when Jaclyn and Sean nodded, Frank, stunned, watched as they waved Joe over.

"Go ahead," he said quietly as he gave Joe a slight push. "I'll be right here."

Numbly, Joe nodded and hurried over, following the Merkels and Jaclyn to a private area away from the waiting room.

Frank bit his lip as he waited. He had always liked and respected Pat a lot, and now he was starting to see first hand how close Joe and Pat really were. No one would ever be closer to Joe than Biff, Frank knew that, as Joe considered Biff his brother, and Pat one of his closest friends. Over the past five years, they'd done so much. Pat had been a groomsman in Joe's wedding, and now Joe would be one…

He closed his eyes for a moment. _Let there be a wedding._

The silence in the room so full was eerie. Collig stood by Fenton now, old friends more than top professionals in the moment. Some of Pat's cousins were around, surrounded by their brothers in blue. Joe would be devastated if he lost Pat. Iola's loss was enough for one lifetime.

It seemed forever before they reemerged. When Frank noted their smiles despite the pain clearly etched on everyone's faces, he let out a breath he didn't realize that he had been holding in. There seemed to be a collective sigh in the air as officer after officer approached Pat's parents and fiancee, Chief Collig and his own father at the front of that long line. Jaclyn stood with Joe, holding his hand for support, and Joe met Frank's eyes across the room and nodded slightly.

To his surprise, Sean came over to him alone after a few minutes.

"Frank?" he said, reaching over to shake his hand. "I told Joe I wanted to come over and talk to you for a second." Despite his obvious exhaustion and fear for his brother. Sean Merkel looked every bit the professional officer, though his uniform varied from Pat's. He shared Pat's light brown hair and eyes, and the family resemblance was clear. Frank had spoken with him a handful of times over the years, and they'd always gotten along well.

"How's he doing?" Frank asked as he finished clasping Sean's hand.

"He's in bad shape, but he's going to make it," Sean replied, and Frank didn't miss the tremor in his voice.

"Thank god," Frank replied, earnestly. "How bad is it?"

"Bad," Sean replied, taking a minute to compose himself more fully before speaking. Frank understood. He'd been in Sean's shoes too often to count, and he knew his pain all too well. "I don't even know the technical terms; I could barely focus after I heard that he was alive."

"I understand," Frank assured him.

"The vest protected him against a shot that… it was right over his heart." Sean's voice was shaky, and Frank nodded, squeezing his shoulder as he reached for him in a gesture of comfort.

"He still got hit in the abdomen and he has major kidney damage. It caused all sorts of internal bleeding. You'd think that'd be the worst part, but you know what almost killed him? The shot to the shoulder."

"Worse than the kidney?" Frank asked, surprised.

"Yeah, you wouldn't think so, right?" Sean replied, eyes dark. "The doc said that the shoulder is really bad, because it has bones, joints, muscles, blood vessels, soft tissues, and nerves in a narrow region. And he almost bled out from the injuries- his blood pressure was so low they almost didn't get a pulse. He may not regain consciousness for several days. It's bad, Frank. Like, possibly career-ending bad." Finally, tears shone in his eyes. "And that will destroy him, but I don't even care right now. I'm just thankful he's alive."

"I get it," Frank said softly.

"I know you do," Sean replied. "I wanted to make sure you understand something," he went on, totally serious, eyes never leaving Frank's. "Your kid brother just saved my kid brother's life. If he hadn't gotten out of the car and covered him, that son of a bitch would have murdered Pat. And then Joe had the wherewithal to apply pressure to Pat's shoulder wound… if he hadn't, Pat would've died. Then, somehow, Joe avoided getting shot and managed to shoot the guy. Collig just told me right before I came to see you- he's being taken into custody as soon as he's treated. He'd better hope to god that he makes it out of here alive and he gets that chance." Sean's eyes reflected his fury, locked behind his pain.

Frank pat his shoulder. "He'll get what's coming," he told him. "Don't worry about that."

"I owe you one," Sean replied. At Frank's puzzled expression, he went on. "As one older brother to another, I know you understand what it's like to watch your kid brother, the one you always look out for, get in serious trouble or get badly hurt. No lip-service here- we both understand that. I know we don't know each other that well, but I promise you this- Joe is my brother now. My family- personal and professional- will always look out for him for the rest of his- and his family's- lives. And I ask that you continue to do the same with my kid brother. Both of them are reckless idiots…" he paused for a brief moment to smile, "but they're brave and fearless. I look out for Joe; you look out for Pat. Deal?"

"You got it," Frank replied, seriously. The thought that Joe would have even more people looking out for him, would expand his circle of true friends and family even more, comforted him. No one deserved that feeling of security more. "Now go to your family."

"I'm already there," Sean replied with a small smile again. "But I will, man. Take it easy."

"You, too," Frank answered, shaking his hand again. "Brother."

Sean simply nodded, and, as he walked away, Frank saw Joe and Jacyln together, watched as she held onto his arm and his eyes never left her. He saw that Collig remained close to Joe as well, watching him.

It was a room of relief, gratitude, love, people looking out for people who didn't even know it. Frank was struck by how truly fortunate he and Joe had been in their lives, how friends and relatives alike were a true presence, a fortress … of fortune. Yes. A fortress of fortune.

With that knowledge in hand, he took a deep breath. He had to start making things right all around, and he knew where to start.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At home, later, Frank kept tossing and turning on the couch as he tried to get comfortable. He was absolutely exhausted. On some, barely conscious level, he knew that he should get up and move to his bedroom, but he was too tired to even consider it. Besides, going upstairs would mean facing Callie and he couldn't do that again quite yet. He had to sort out his own feelings first, and he was caught between fear, deep shame, confusion, and pressure.

He wanted and needed to concentrate on Joe. His kid brother was going through hell right now, watching his best friend, second only to Biff, barely hanging on. He'd have to be there to support Joe, and that also meant supporting Vanessa. That _went without saying_. But- so did so many things right now. It _went without saying_ that he had to be there for his wife and fulfill to her his promise to find John's child. It _went without saying_ that he would follow through on the latest missing child case to which he was assigned and would be working on tomorrow. It _went without saying_ that he would help Joe on his case with Pat, if only to distract him and to avenge Pat's attack. So much _went without saying_. He sighed as he thought of how appropriate that saying really was, as he truly had no words left to speak.

He was running close to empty.

He would deal with one thing at a time, but time was not his friend. The lives of three children were on the line: Stella, this new child… and Hope.

God, Johnny. He might as well start there. Rubbing his tired eyes, he tried to focus, but it was hard as hell: he was a person of logic immersed in a sea of emotion, and he could barely process one thing before something else even more potent cropped up.

His dear friend had a baby girl; it was true. And Johnny would have loved her with his whole being, as he loved Laurissa. There were so many questions: what if he couldn't save her? What if he could?

Callie's words echoed deeply in his mind and he felt his face burn. Could that have been it? Could his deep, unwavering guilt about Callie's attack, guilt he had thought he had put at bay a long time ago, still be gnawing at him? Did he, on some level, resent Johnny because Johnny had been her rock when he had not been, because Johnny knew Callie as well as he did? Johnny had given his life for Callie, had probably saved her before then after the worst moment of her life. And Johnny had broken every expectation that Frank had had of him.

Falling into a restless slumber, he found his mind drifting to years ago, when Callie had been a senior in college and was living with John, who had graduated and was starting to become a sought out actor and model. It was the visit that had changed everything, when he knew John Gellers would be his friend, too.

 _He had received the phone call only a day earlier, and now he found himself outside of Callie and Johnny's apartment in L.A. John had asked him to fly out on spring break, had even paid for the ticket, because he was worried about Callie. Though he had assured Frank that Callie was okay, he had asked to talk to him alone. It was an unusual request, to say the least._

 _He and Johnny had formed a tentative friendship only two years ago, talked occasionally, got along. They had the unfathomable experience that would forever bind them and their deep and abiding love for Callie. That was it. Sure, they had football and chess and love for action movies and the outdoors in common, but they were polar opposites otherwise. Johnny was wild and gregarious, a partier and unbelievably talented actor who lived life in the fast lane and took crazy risks with everything. He had Joe's charisma and love for life, but turned up volumes. If Joe was the life of the party, Johnny was the reason for the party in the first place._

 _Callie had sworn to him that there was another side to John, a deeply sensitive and caring one; that he was a person who lived in the loud moments but authentically treasured the quiet ones. She told him that Johnny was silly and very smart, and, though he was surrounded at all times by people, he really only had a handful of people he considered real friends. Selfless, caring, sweet. Frank had been tired of listening to those descriptors, and Callie must have sensed it, because she had soon learned to coexist in two worlds, and rarely did they have to meet. And though he had come to like Johnny, to trust him with Callie, a much larger part of him than would like to admit was jealous._

 _The door opened, and John Gellers stood before him, movie star looks and megawatt smile at the ready. "Hey!" he said, shaking his hand. "Thanks for coming."_

 _Frank managed to smile back as he stepped into the apartment, expecting to see Callie. "No problem."_

" _She's not here now," John told him. "Please. Sit down."_

 _Frank was confused. He placed his bag by the door and followed John to the couch nearby, where he took a seat. He was disappointed. As much as he was dying of curiosity to see what Johnny was going to tell him, he was even more eager to see Callie. He hadn't seen her since mid January, and he was so relieved that she would be graduating in two months and be back with him on the east coast. He missed her more than he could articulate, could still envision the ring he was finishing making payments on, how he was going to ask her. And he literally ached to hold her in his arms again._

 _He met John's eyes. "What's going on, John?" he asked. "You told me you were worried about Callie. Where is she?"_

 _John sat on a chair opposite him. "I asked you not to tell her that you were coming. Did you?"_

" _No," Frank answered, defensive."But I don't understand why. Where is she?"_

" _She's fine. She's at her class," John answered. "But I needed to see you, because I really am worried."_

" _What's wrong?" Frank asked, sitting up._

" _I'm sorry I asked you to fly across the country," he began, but Frank cut him off._

" _I don't care about that. I care about her," he replied. "Just tell me."_

 _John took a moment to collect himself, and Frank tried to brace himself for whatever was coming. Finally, Johnny looked directly at Frank. "Three days ago, I was in Hollywood filming. Callie texted me several times, which is fine. But she normally doesn't contact me when she knows I'm at work. She kept asking if I knew when I would be home; things like that. Honestly, I'm away a good 70% of the time and I wasn't even planning on coming back that night, but I decided to, because she seemed like she needed me."_

 _Frank felt the color rise to his face. Callie hadn't texted HIM. "She needed me," hung in the air between them._

" _Okay," Frank replied curtly, trying to suppress his emotion._

 _John took a deep breath, and Frank could tell he looked genuinely upset. "I came back pretty late for her- about midnight- and she was… you know… different."_

" _I don't know what you mean," Frank said._

 _Johnny shook his head and looked away for a minute. "She looked upset. I could tell that she… she was scared. She wouldn't tell me why at first, but she was so relieved when I came back. I just held her for a good hour before she said anything."_

 _Frank felt the color grow even deeper in his face. He knew all John had done for her, had seen how affectionate Callie and John were with each other, but the thought of another man holding the woman he loved so intimately still affected him badly, and he didn't know how to handle his confusing emotions._

 _If John noticed his reaction, he didn't say anything. He kept his gaze on the window before finally turning back to Frank. "You know she's one of the lead editors of the paper on campus, right?"_

" _Yup," Frank replied, not trusting himself to say much more._

" _I'm going to cut to the chase," John replied. "She was asked to cover a story, along with two other lead editors, regarding a crime on campus. Earlier in the week, a senior at the school was found murdered… after a brutal rape." He paused. "And apparently some digging was done by the police and press. There's been at least one recorded rape a year with the same… characteristics."_

 _Frank gasped as he started to see where John was going._

 _John nodded, his own face pale. "Yes, Frank. If she does this expose, she'll have to report on her own case. She can't re-live that." His voice had gone to a whisper. "And while she's smart enough to know she can't take the story, it's bringing back a lot of ugly memories and guilt and fear. I wish I could be here with her all the time until she's okay again, and I'll do my best to arrange my schedule so I can be. But I need to work and she needs support now. That's why I called you— spring break here starts tomorrow for her and I know yours started a few days ago. Free time to think is no good for her now. There's a serial rapist and murderer out there. Rapists and murderers," he corrected, blinking back tears. "And she's terrified to even think about it. She can't do it."_

" _Of course not," Frank agreed weakly._

 _Johnny bit his lip. "I don't know what to do; how to help her," he admitted. "She's been great. It… it happened over three years ago, and the last year and a half, she never… I mean… it doesn't come up. But two nights ago, she was so scared. She's stayed with me the past few nights… she's had nightmares."_

 _Frank felt his heart constrict. He… they… were still out there. The one case he could not take. The one case that he needed to. It was all mixed up with fear and confusion and jealousy and he'd spit out the words without even thinking._

" _She slept with you the last two nights?" he asked._

 _John stood up, and he looked surprised… and angry. "THAT is what you got from what I just told you?!" he asked. "Yes, she did." He looked right into Frank's eyes. "And she can stay with me whenever she wants to, because I love her. And if she needs me to hold her until she gathers her strength, then that's what I'll do." He was not bragging, not trying to one-up him. "What's your problem? Are you going to help or not?!"_

 _Frank swallowed, hard. He wasn't used to being challenged. "Yeah, I'll help," he replied at last._

 _John seemed to relax a little, and, when he spoke again, his voice was softer. "Frank, look. I thought we dealt with this issue last year. I'm not a threat to you." He was the least self-conscious person Frank had ever met, and he started to feel ashamed again. John Gellers was unlike anyone he had ever spoken to. He was almost painfully direct._

 _John went on, never looking away from Frank. "Can we please be done with-whatever- is between us? If not for us, for Callie. She needs us both, and … it's no good for her."_

" _I know," Frank found himself replying, softly. Feelings aside, John was being logical, and he could work with that._

 _But John pressed on. "Do you understand what I said before? I am no threat to you." He reached out hesitantly and touched Frank's arm. "Callie loves YOU, Frank. She's been in love with you since the day I met her, even when you weren't together. She wants to spend her life with YOU."_

" _I apologize," Frank choked out, embarrassed. He'd never been good at expressing his most private feelings to anyone other than Callie, and occasionally Joe. And this guy… this situation… was weird, to say the least._

" _I don't want you to be sorry," Johnny went on, dropping his arm. "I want us to respect each other. If we like each other, even better, but we have to start somewhere." He sighed, crossing his arms. "Your girlfriend is my best friend," he said pointedly. "And I get that you might find that awkward, but it's true. I adore her, and I love her, and I won't pretend that I don't to make you feel better. Why are you upset with me? I called you here to see if you could help her. Take this case, or don't, but… you need to know how bad it is. A girl died, Frank, and we both know… Callie almost did, too. You need to know everything before you decide what to do. It's only fair."_

" _I just wish she would have called ME," Frank found himself saying, shocked. WHY had he just confessed that?_

 _John seemed to respond well to his honesty, though. "She wouldn't have wanted you to think about this, Frank. She wants you to see the progress she's made… and she has. She's been remarkable. She wants you to see her for who she is, not what happened to her. Callie's told me how much you've helped her, how understanding and patient you've been with her, and she wants to make you see her as a confident and strong woman, not as a victim. But…" his voice became shaky, and Frank couldn't look away, "Did she tell you what happened to her? I mean, what REALLY happened. In detail. All of it?"_

" _Yes," Frank whispered._

" _You need to know," John replied. "And knowing Callie, she DID tell you, but she probably left out some things or glossed over them to spare you. Those … monsters… are still out there, and now they've killed a woman. And Callie has to face it again. Even if she walks away from the story, knowing what was done before her and after her, that she was part of a sick pattern… she's fragile now. Remember when I took you to where … it happened?" John asked, voice thick._

" _Of course," Frank answered, feeling sick._

" _You never saw the report from the police, did you?" John wiped at his eyes. "It's the most horrifying thing you'll ever read. I know she told you… but you need to know, REALLY know, in detail, again… if you're up for it… what she survived. It's only then that you can understand her totally and help her and decide whether or not to take the case."_

" _You saw the report?" Frank asked, heart still pounding._

" _I LIVED it!" Johnny retorted, tears falling from his eyes. "Frank, I was THERE. For the little while she was conscious, when she was able to call for help and I could get to her… I was with her."_

 _Frank was fighting tears now, too._

" _I stayed with her when she enduring all those tests, when the doctors had more and more bad news to deliver about her condition. I stayed with her after her surgery and when she was in so much pain she couldn't… she couldn't even walk." He was crying openly now. "I saw her wounds and scars and bruises and I cannot even imagine the depth of her internal injuries. What they did to her was worse than I could ever imagine. How she even lived is beyond me- she was in the hospital for WEEKS. I held her in my arms when she was told she couldn't have children, when she begged me not to tell anyone what had happened to her, when she didn't even care if she lived or died. I was THERE," he repeated. He took a series of shaky breaths. "I'll be back in a minute."_

 _Frank couldn't move._

 _Johnny returned after a while, composed but clearly still shaken, with an envelope, which he held out to Frank. "Here it is. She was issued this report years ago, but I have always known where it is. Help me support her. Please. This is her last hurdle in California. From now on, when she comes back, it'll be a choice, a pleasure, rather than something to conquer, to prove to herself that she can survive and thrive. She's done that… but she needs to finish her time here with that mindset, not this potential setback."_

 _Shakily, Frank reached out for it, barely hearing Johnny tell him that he'd give him some privacy._

 _It took him close to a half hour to read it. The tears kept blocking his vision; twice, he'd gone to the bathroom and thrown up. Yes, he'd known all of it, but Johnny had been right- Callie had managed to sanitize it for his sake. Good god, how had she survived it? How could anyone have lived through what she'd endured? How could she have recovered as well as she had?_

 _He weakly took the report and placed it back in the envelope, numb._

 _Somehow, Johnny had returned, and he felt John's arm around his shoulders as he buried his face in his hands. John just sat with him quietly, not moving, as he got himself together. When he finally looked up, he recognized the horror and haunted feeling he had in John's eyes._

" _I'm not your enemy," John said softly. "We are the only two people who will ever know what truly happened to her in detail. And I know... " He took a deep breath. "I know that as much as she means to me, as much as I love her… you love her more. She is my FRIEND. She is your future wife, presumably. I'm so sorry."_

" _Thank you so much for helping her then… and now," Frank managed, suddenly realizing just how pivotal John must have been in her recovery. Finally, he started listening to what John was saying instead of trying to guess where he was going with some hidden agenda that didn't exist._

" _Frank," John replied, "You're welcome. I'm not some savior who rescued her, though. Neither are you."_

 _He was almost painfully forthright, but Frank could see that he spoke from the heart._

" _She got through this because she is strong. I think it's fair to say that while we both helped her through that time, and it'll always be a part of her and show up occasionally— like now— she has made us better and stronger people. That's love, right?"_

 _Frank nodded at last. "Yes." Frank met John's eyes through his own tears. "We can't focus on this," he said quietly. "You're right. This is not Callie. This is what happened to her one night a few years ago."_

" _Yes," John agreed. "That's right. The relationship we both have with her took place before that night and after it. But we need to acknowledge what she went through whenever we see her regress and help her stay the strongest person we both know. We can't dismiss it when she gets scared. She's earned the right to break down on occasion, and God- who could blame her?! She needs support now, and that's something we can both give her."_

" _I can't take this case," Frank whispered. "I want to. Part of me needs to. But I cannot and will not ask her to re-live a single second of what happened to her. If she tells me she wants me to pursue it, that's a different story. I'll be on it today. But she won't. She… won't. I have to leave it to the cops here to end it and catch the bastards."_

 _John gave a small smile. "Fair enough."_

" _Thank you," Frank said. "You were right. I needed a wake up call. I needed to know. Now, we have to help ourselves and Callie. I..._ _we_ _... have to remind her that she has survived and she will be okay, and that she should feel no guilt if she cannot help the police. She has to do what she's comfortable with on her own terms and in her own way."_

" _We're both Team Callie," John said at last. "Always. She's what matters."_

At that moment, he had known. Team Callie was right. John Gellers would become his friend, because they both had too much invested in Callie not to be on the same team.

That time, when Frank had finally left California, Callie had been stronger than before, reinvigorated, supported, and loved. She'd immediately blanched when he'd mentioned pursuing the case, and he didn't even finish his sentence. That was enough. It would kill him to do it, but he would leave the case alone, because she needed him to. If he couldn't protect her from the evil monsters who were still at large, he'd spend his life protecting her mind, body, spirit, and soul with his whole being, because he loved her so much and it was the bare minimum he could do for her. He would vow his life to her soon when he would ask for her hand in marriage, but that was a technicality. He was already hers.

The rest of the time, they'd talked and laughed, thrilled to be with each other again, even briefly. He'd reaffirmed what he should have known all along. Callie looked at John with the deepest affection, but she looked into his eyes with adoration, longing, and trust; she loved them both, but the types of love were vastly different. She would hug and kiss John goodnight, even cuddle with John sometimes, yet she would flirt with him; it was with him only that she shared a passionate sexual chemistry, to him only she would make love. And there was no question at all of whose arms she would be in at night.

John had been right all along.

Before he left, Frank acknowledged that he could not have protected her or made her feel as safe and treasured as he did had it not been for John's help. His ability to distract her and make her laugh, his sense of adventure, and his ability to focus on the beauty of life at any given moment clearly allowed Callie to get her bearings.

For the first time in his life, he trusted another man to protect the love of his life. John had not let him down then.

...And he would not let John down now.

Frank's eyes fluttered open immediately. His heart was pounding again, this time with understanding and complete clarity. His course of action was as clear as day. Callie had been right. Joe had been right. And deep down, under his insecurity, fear, and confusion, he had always known the truth.

The man who had grown to become one of his best friends in the world, who was selfless and genuine and kind, had ultimately fulfilled his promise to Frank that he would love and protect Callie at all costs, and he had paid the highest price to do so.

It was time to return the favor.


	14. Chapter 14

**Note:** _This is a day early!_ _Thank you very much for the "Favorites" and "Follows" to the story. I am most appreciative for those of you who have left reviews, as they DO make a difference. Thank you for your time and feedback: Drumboy100, hbndgirl, sm2003495, ChrisCorso, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, BMSH, FANHB08,, ErinJordan, Hero76, Caranath, and candylou. I did mention that there would be some surprises as issues from the past keep cropping up. To that end- enjoy!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 14

Joe yawned heavily and glanced at his watch, shocked when he noted it was almost noon. He and Frank had returned very early in the morning back to Frank and Callie's house, since Vanessa was staying there anyway. With everything spinning out of control the past week, he was relieved that his wife and sister had a support system in each other.

Last night had been absolute hell. He'd come so close to losing Pat, had experienced the highs and lows of emotions with Collig, and had almost gotten killed, himself. He felt the smallest of smiles come to his face as he thought of Pat, who he knew would have agreed and said, "All in a day's work, bro."

Today, he would get to work on finding out what the hell had happened last night and finish out this murder case for Pat, the least he could do. And then he would work with the feds on the current missing child case. Plus, there was no way in hell he would let Johnny's daughter remain threatened a second longer than he had to be. And when all was said and done, he still had a promise to keep to Vanessa, even if that promise had to be delayed for a few more days.

But now things were going to change, because he would work with his brother, as it should have been from the start. While they had certainly worked alone successfully many times, together they were virtually unbeatable, having the exact right balance and complete knowledge of each other to get things done right. He trusted Frank with his life; he knew Frank did the same with him.

And, if he was being honest, he had to have one last talk with his brother before they started this, because they needed each other completely… and that meant total honesty. Frank was still holding back, reacting completely out of character to Johnny's news. Frank still hadn't said a word to acknowledge out loud that he was aware of what had happened to Callie, and Frank had to do that so that he would be okay to talk if that issue was ever a distraction; and he had a sneaking suspicion that it had a lot to do with Frank's erratic behavior. And, if he was being really fair, that meant he'd would have to come clean about Vanessa… if she would let him. He wouldn't pressure her, ever, but perhaps she would understand his reasoning if he just explained why.

As if she knew his thoughts, the door to the bedroom opened and Vanessa walked inside. She smiled as she sat down on the side of the bed next to him and leaned down to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Hey," she said softly, combing her fingers through his hair. "How are you, honey? I'm so glad you got to rest. You needed it."

Joe sat up and opened his arms to her, kissing her temple as she snuggled next to him. "I love you," he found himself saying, "and you are so beautiful. I missed you."

Vanessa looked up at him and he pulled her even closer. "I love you, too," she told him softly. "Feel free to stop almost getting yourself killed any day now. Really- you've proven you can do it well." She smiled wryly at him.

Never one to hold back his feelings, he turned Vanessa and kissed her passionately. Less than five minutes later, Vanessa, half undressed, reluctantly pulled away and, to Joe's chagrin, slipped on her shirt again. "Babe, we can't. Not now." She was flushed and breathless and incredibly beautiful.

"Why not?" he asked her, trying to concentrate.

She smiled at him. "Because it's noon and Callie is watching three kids by herself right now and trying to balance that with working on info from Johnny's case. I can't tell her I took an hour to come downstairs because we decided to have sex." She winked at him.

Joe pulled her to him, and kissed her neck. "I promise I won't need an hour," he whispered. "Quickie?" He raised his brows suggestively, and Vanessa started laughing.

"As romantic as that sounds, loverboy, I really think it's not the best idea right now. Tonight? A different story. I'm worth the wait. Trust me." She smoothed her clothes.

Joe groaned and sat back. "Patience has never been my strong suit," he reminded her. "But fine." He sighed again. "I guess it's okay. I just was reminded again last night of how much I love my life, how I never want to waste a second, and how that means I will spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me. You, Evan, and the little guy." He slipped one arm around her shoulders and placed his free hand on her stomach. "This is the freaking coolest thing ever, Babe. You're a rockstar. I mean, there's a little person inside you."

Vanessa cuddled against him. "OUR baby," she reminded him. "Me and you. Forever."

Joe met her eyes, and spoke without thinking. "You know I fall in love with you more every day, right?"

Vanessa's eyes filled with tears. "Stop, or you're going to make me rethink that excuse to Callie."

Joe smiled. "That's my plan." He kissed her quickly. "I have to get going anyway. I have a ton to work on, and before I come home again- here or our house- I want to stop by the hospital again to check on Pat, even though Sean'll be texting me all day. You have no idea how many cases we have going right now, and one is worse than the other. I assume Frank's with Callie?"

Vanessa bit her lip, and he was on instant alert.

"Since when is Frank NOT with Callie?" he asked.

"No. I mean, he's with her, but there's definitely something going on. I… I mean, it's none of my business, but I'm pretty sure Frank slept downstairs last night, and Callie's upset, I can tell. She's devastated about not knowing where Johnny's child is, or if she's okay, and you know Callie… she holds a lot in when it comes to Frank. I have no idea why he wouldn't stay with her, do you?"

Joe sat completely up now and rubbed his temple. "Yeah, I might. I have to talk to him."

Vanessa turned to him, curious. "Those two are indestructible," she said firmly. "So whatever it is, help them. And tell both of them that I'm here to listen, too, and that I love them both."

Joe felt his heart swell with pride at his strong, loyal wife, who always assumed the best about everyone, and who offered her support, then and always, to the people she loved, no questions asked. He touched her cheek. "I will, sweetheart. Thank you."

Vanessa smiled. "Well, Cal and I put together a nice breakfast anyway. Frank barely ate, so there's lots of good stuff left. And when you're done…maybe you'll have room for lunch. After all, since the gym thing isn't going so well, you might as well go all out the other way. Life's about balance."

Joe started laughing, and it felt great after the hell of last night. "You get me, babe."

Vanessa's eyes shone with laughter, too, and he felt so, so fortunate to have her. However, he knew he had to do something first, and he'd rather get it over with. "Can I talk to you, Van? It's important," he added, and his voice was more serious in tone than he'd expected, suddenly.

"Of course. What's wrong?" She sat up herself and held his hands.

"Before I say this, I want you to understand that there is no pressure at all to say yes to what I'm about to ask you," he started. "You know I totally respect…" he continued, but Vanessa cut him off.

"Yes," she said simply.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

She sighed and gave him a resigned smile before answering. "Yes, you can tell Frank about my dad. What the hell? You know. Biff knows. Callie knows. I'm done with secrets, Joe. Some secret that I still don't know almost destroyed you and Frank on the Cotnig case. I only know it has to do with Johnny, and that's good enough for me. You need support. You need your brother. And you have done nothing but encourage me to know that what my dad probably did was not my fault, and that I should feel no shame about it." She met his eyes, her own watery. "I love my dad, Joe. And I'm finally able to face the truth, no matter what that is, thanks to you. I trust you. It's fine."

Joe felt his own eyes fill with tears. Words didn't even matter anymore. He pushed back the covers, got up, strode across the large room, and locked the door. Then, he took Vanessa in his arms and kissed her deeply. "We're both going to be late," he managed to whisper. "They'll deal with it."

And, this time, no protestations came from Vanessa as she gave herself to him, completely, in love.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank held Laurie as Evan and JJ played with blocks in their toy room. Callie sat next to them on the floor, handing Evan block after block as he threw them playfully. Despite the smile on her face as she played with the babies, he could see the tension in her body, could feel the divide between them that he had caused, and it hurt deeply.

He walked over to her as Laurie cooed at him and he kissed his daughter's nose as he sat next to his wife. "Cal?" he asked gently, and she looked at him. He could see the pain in her eyes, though she said nothing.

"I'm sorry, baby."

She looked like she wanted to respond, but JJ walked over to her. "Mommy, I made a block tower! Look, Mommy!" He tugged her hand. "Look, Daddy!" JJ turned to him, eyes bright with excitement. "Me n Evan did it!"

Frank smiled at his son's enthusiasm as Laurie squirmed to get down to play. He put her down with a kiss and reached to hug his son quickly. "I see, JJ. Awesome! Show mommy and daddy how big you and Evan and Laurie can make the tower, okay? We're watching."

"Okay, Daddy," JJ said, nodding, and kissed him before he plopped next to his sister and cousin.

Callie looked down, and Frank wrapped an arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly, resting his head on top of hers. They watched the babies for a few minutes in silence before he spoke again.

Finally, he spoke quietly, still watching the kids, never loosening his arm around her. "We can't talk now, but we WILL talk. I owe you an explanation, but I was completely wrong. I know that now. I think… I need help, babe. I'm overwhelmed. But I will come to terms with everything, and what happened with us… my reaction to you, and about John… it was my fault totally."

When she finally turned her head to look at him, her eyes were glassy. "You need to face your past," she said quietly. "I'm… I mean, I understand you, Frank. I do. But your reaction about John… that hurt me… deeply. You HAVE to find that baby, Frank. Then we'll deal with everything."

"I will," he replied, and he meant it.

"How?" she whispered, and finally turned completely to face him. "You have two or three high priority, really serious cases going on. How will you find time?"

"I don't know, but I swear to you, I will. Joe will help me. I owe it to that baby, to Johnny, to you… to me… to find her, and I will."

"You need help," she replied, honestly, blinking back tears. "Your past and the present are all mixed up now, and I don't know why. But…" she continued in a shaky voice, "I guess I haven't made total peace with the past, myself. It's time."

Frank met her eyes. "I don't understand," he replied, as he divided his attention to Evan who had just knocked down JJ's tower. JJ was being patient for once and other than his "no, no, no…" he continued to play with the younger babies.

"Work on your cases. I… I know how to get help. I think. And to deal with everything at the same time. And just like you always ask me to trust you, you have to trust me." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve, trying to be discreet. "It may hurt you… it _will_ hurt me… but I…need to do this."

"Callie?" he questioned. "What-?"

"No. Just let me do what I need to do. For Johnny. For me. For you. Okay? It'll help us all if I can do it." Her voice was shaky.

"Whatever you need to do," he told her at last. "Okay. Just tell me when you do it."

"Oh, you'll know," she replied, voice trembling. Changing the topic, she managed a smile. "Leave it to Joe and Van to delay the start to the day by locking themselves in the bedroom."

"Stay there," Frank told JJ. "Mommy and I will be right back." Thankfully, Evan and Laurie were completely distracted.

"Okay, daddy," JJ replied, obediently.

Frank stood and extended a hand to Callie, who reached for it. He led her into the hallway, right outside the toy room, and closed the door so the kids couldn't escape. They'd had a glass panel installed at the top of the door last year, so they could always look in if ever they had to be outside and not physically in the room with the babies anyway.

Once outside the door, Frank cupped Callie's face in his hands and bent to kiss her. At almost a foot taller than she was, he still remained amazed at how perfectly she fit in his arms. He kissed her sweetly and tenderly at first, before desire overtook him and he allowed himself to kiss her as he wanted to, full of passion and intensity, and he was immeasurably relieved when he felt her melt against him, no hesitation evident, fervently returning his kisses. "Joe and Vanessa have the right idea," he whispered huskily, in a brief reprieve, stroking her now flushed cheeks. "I've missed you so much. I want you," he went on, willing himself not to continue something he knew he wouldn't be able to stop. " _So much_. I am so sorry I hurt you, baby, and I can only promise I'll do my best to make it up to you." His lips hovered inches from hers, and the chemistry they'd always shared, in the best and worst of times, electrified the air.

He could tell that she was trying as hard not to give into him as he was to her. The circumstances were impossible anyway, but somehow he couldn't move. He felt her breath on his cheek, her lips now millimeters from his. Time froze, and then finally, she looked down and clutched the front of his shirt with two hands as they were both breathing hard. "If we start…" she managed, still not meeting his eyes.

"I know," he replied at last, dropping his hands from her face to wrap his arms around her waist as he pulled her closer and rested his head on top of hers. "I know, but god… I want to."

Callie buried her face in his chest and allowed him to hold her, to feel his heartbeat and warmth and comfort… and safety… things she had missed more than she could have articulated the past week or two. And they needed time for sexual intimacy, to reconnect and recharge and express the deepest love they had for each other, especially when words were not helping. Somehow, giving themselves to each other totally and selflessly, taking care of each other's needs and desires, allowed them to realign and get back to each other in every way. It had always worked for them; she knew it always would.

But not yet.

"Me, too," she whispered. "Soon."

He nodded against her hair; did not pressure her, always sensitive.

"Promise me that you will forgive me if what I have planned doesn't work out. Know I tried... for _all_ of us."

He held her somehow even closer. "You know I trust you," he said quietly. "I love you."

She knew the weight of those simple words. She knew he loved her, as he knew she loved him.

 _No matter what._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Frank and Joe were gone, together, as it should be. Vanessa was happily singing to the kids as they finished lunch, as Callie excused herself for a few minutes and climbed the stairs quickly to her bedroom, flipping open her Macbook Air.

Her heart was pounding. This was absolutely crazy, and she was scared to death, but, once the idea had popped into her head, she couldn't let it go.

Frank needed help emotionally. She'd known it the instant that he hadn't immediately jumped for joy knowing that Johnny had a daughter. She'd known it again when she realized that Frank still blamed himself for her rape and all the sordid and vile details that accompanied it. It was too much guilt for anyone to handle, and he'd done it alone for so long. Johnny, too, had been the same way. He had never forgiven himself, either. But, until two years ago, they'd had each other.

Yet, it wasn't fair to ask Frank to handle his demons when she couldn't really handle hers. In sharing her past with Joe, she'd taken a step in the right direction, and it was a huge burden from which to have relief.

Still, it wasn't enough.

She still had one aspect of her past that she had to deal with, all these years later.

Plus, she desperately needed to save Johnny's child, whom she already loved. She owed her best friend her life, and she would risk everything for his child.

Only one person could unify the two completely different issues. The years had changed them all; even their names had changed.

Still, just as Frank and Joe would never give up what was inherently a part of them, another wouldn't, either. She had known that in her soul.

With trembling fingers, she dialed the number on the screen. On the third ring, the receptionist's voice answered pleasantly, and her heart skipped a beat.

"This is Callie Hardy," she said, forcing her voice to be strong. "And if she's available, I'd like to speak with Nancy Drew Nickerson."


	15. Chapter 15

**Note** : _I am posting a bit early again._ _In the story description, I didn't want to put "Nancy Drew" because I thought it would ruin the surprise. :) FYI: This is still a Hardy Boys' story that centers around Joe, Frank, and their respective families and friends. That being said, Nancy will definitely be a major help and will be making several appearances throughout the remainder of the story- just not yet! You have about 3-4 chapters before she comes in, but again- she does play an important role both with Frank and Callie and in helping with the mysteries. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to leave a review on the last chapter: drumboy100, hero76, FanHB08, Ella Tremaine, sm2003495, BMSH, hlahabity, EvergreenDreamweaver, Caranath, hbndgirl, max 2013, Ritu, candylou, Paulina Ann, ErinJordan, and ChrisCorso. You are all very much appreciated!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 15

"So where to first?" Frank asked as he drove. "The JGF office, the station, the Santitoris, the jail, the hospital? You tell me."

Joe laughed softly as he thought about the ridiculousness of the question. "It's crazy, right?" he asked Frank in return. "Actually," he went on, "I think we should go to the office first."

"Why?" Frank asked, but he put on the blinker to turn in that direction, anyway. "We have so many other places to be, and we're late for all of them." He shot Joe a look of disgust before he turned back to the road. "Thanks to you. Hope you enjoyed yourself."

Joe smiled before replying. "Hell yeah I enjoyed myself, thank you very much. You're way too uptight, Frank. You need to go home and lock yourself in your own bedroom and have crazy sex all day. And then tell me absolutely nothing about it, because it's like thinking about mom and dad together." He made a disgusted face himself, but laughed again at how Frank had turned red.

"Joe, shut up," Frank said as he cleared his throat.

"To answer your question," Joe answered, ignoring him, "that is exactly why we need to go to the office. Not the sex part-" he joked, as Frank continued to blush and shake his head in exasperation, "but because we need to make some decisions about what to handle first and how to handle it. I'm sure dad's with Collig now on the missing child case, but we need to get our priorities straight. And no matter what, we handle everything together on these cases from now on, okay?"

"Agreed," Frank said simply as he drove, and Joe could tell he was thinking.

"Plus, I want to talk to you," Joe went on.

"About what?" Frank asked. "You can talk now."

"Not here. Not now," Joe answered. "At the office."

"This day gets better and better," Frank mumbled. "Fine." After a few more minutes, Frank spoke up again unexpectedly. "Sorry. I actually kind of wanted to talk to you, too." His voice was quiet.

Joe smiled inwardly. Finally. "Good," Joe answered, hopeful. "I'm glad."

Once they arrived at the office building of Hardy Investigations, Joe lead Frank into his office.

"You cleaned up in here," Frank told him, impressed. "It looks good. Maybe dad won't threaten you with a fine again this month."

Joe waved his hand dismissively. "I just threw all the crap in the closet." He walked over and opened the door, and papers, sweatshirts, jackets, headphones, and a number of other items teetered on the brink of collapse, and Joe immediately closed the closest and shrugged. "What dad doesn't know won't hurt him. As long as he doesn't want to hang up his coat in my office, we're good." He shrugged.

Frank rolled his eyes. "I hope no clients visit you until the spring, then," he added wryly. "You're a piece of work, Joe, you really are."

"Don't I know it," Joe quipped back. He removed his coat and sat on the front of his desk, facing Frank, who took off his own coat and wisely placed it on a nearby chair instead of facing the closet. "So," he said finally, looking right at Frank, "Like I said, I need to talk to you."

"What's up?" Frank asked, crossing his arms. "Go ahead."

Joe met his brother's eyes. "For the next twenty minutes or so, before we get to the cases, which we need to, we need to have a serious conversation," he told him. "Because I kind of don't want to die, if I can prevent it." He knew that would get his brother's attention.

"Wait. What?" Frank asked, confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about, and after last night, that's really not funny."

"You're right. It's not," Joe answered. "Look, you're my partner here. I have to be able to know that I can trust you with my life, if it comes to it. And normally, that's no issue. But this last week or two, you're all out of sorts and your head's not in the game. What's going on, Frank? Talk to me."

"You CAN trust me," Frank answered, defensive. "I don't even know how to respond to what you just said."

Joe sighed heavily before answering. "Frank, come on. Be honest with me. Stop talking _around_ me and start talking _to_ me. No bullshit. What's going on with you?"

Frank was a master of the poker face, and he remained with such an expression now, but Joe knew him well enough to see that he was upset; Frank's eyes always gave him away to those who knew him very well.

Joe raised his hands, trying to get Frank to talk. Seeing that his initial tactic hadn't worked, he tried a softer approach. "Frank, please. You've been so great over the last year. It's been like old times- better than old times. You've been talking to me and you've been open and honest… and … that means _everything_ to me!" He walked closer to Frank, touched his forearm. "No more secrets."

"I'm trying, Joe," Frank managed.

"Stop trying, bro!" he exclaimed, squeezing Frank's arm. "Stop thinking so much. Just talk to me."

"I'm not you, Joe," Frank replied quietly. "I… I don't handle things the way you do. I never have."

"Frank, I know that," Joe answered him, eyes never leaving Frank's. "I have no problem with you trying to work through things first. I get that's who you are, and it's one of the things I admire about you. But there comes a point where that doesn't work anymore. You keep forgetting that I know you better than anyone, except maybe for Callie. I know that you're actually a lot of fun and funny and a little badass, despite your every effort to hide it."

Finally, Frank cracked a reluctant smile.

Joe continued to hold onto Frank's arm. "I'm worried about you. I need to know you're okay. Frank, whenever I'm in trouble or… I don't know… worried… like last night…" He fought the catch in his throat as he tried to control his emotions, "you're the first person I call. You ALWAYS help me. Please, let me help you. You can trust me. You're my big brother and my best friend, and I love you." He blinked back tears. "I can't stand seeing you like this."

Frank reached out and embraced him. "Joe, I'm okay," he told him quietly, rubbing his back. "I really am… or I will be. Please stop worrying about me. But yes- I'll talk to you. I wanted to anyway, and I was going to. I just… honestly, until last night, nothing really clicked with me. I could use perspective, and of course I trust you. Okay?"

Joe nodded against Frank's shoulder. "Okay."

"Come on," Frank told him. He pulled over a chair for Joe, who sat down in the chair opposite him. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you need to tell me?" Joe asked.

It took Frank a few minutes while he collected his thoughts. Joe waited patiently. "I had exactly the wrong reaction to the news about John," Frank managed at last, and Joe was humbled. He knew how very hard it was for Frank to unburden himself, to rely on anyone else, and he would not let Frank down.

Frank finally looked up before continuing. "I'm embarrassed and ashamed about it." He covered his mouth with his hand for a moment, as though saying each word was physically painful to him. "I hurt Callie pretty badly with the way I reacted. And it was so hard for me to acknowledge why I was acting as I did."

"Why DID you act that way?" Joe asked, and reached for Frank's hand, squeezing it.

"I was jealous," Frank admitted, to Joe's shock. Frank looked so ashamed that it hurt his own heart. "It's very complicated. John was like a second brother to me… but…" Frank looked to the side, eyes filled with tears. "God, this is hard, Joe."

"I know," Joe assured him. "Keep going. Get it out. I'm not judging you."

Frank's voice got lower, and Joe could tell that he was really struggling. "He was…" Frank stopped again. "I don't know what to say. He was the person you thought he was. A genuinely good man. But I always wondered if he and Callie…" His voice cut out, and he stood up. "I can't do this."

"You need to, Frank. It's okay."

"It's not okay!" Frank answered, raising his voice. "It's not, Joe. John… _died_ for Callie. He DIED for her. And he was my friend and second brother and I loved him. So do you know what it feels like, how disgusted I am with myself, that I thought that…that Callie would always love him more than me?" He was taking shaky breaths. "And that he would have turned on who he really was, ignored the fact that he was gay, because he was in love with her?"

Joe fought his shock and tried to mask his reaction. He knew on some level that Vanessa and even his mom had had thoughts along the same lines once, though they'd never really vocalized them. But Frank, John's greatest defender?

"But it wasn't true," Frank finished miserably. "And I feel like I betrayed them both by having those thoughts, as buried as they were. I swear to you I didn't even know I thought that… not for a decade! And then, when I learned he had a daughter… this ugliness came back. I feel so horrible. Please don't think I'm a terrible person, Joe. I try to do the right thing by everyone and I've always wanted you to think I could lead you by example. But I can't. You're a much better person than I can ever hope to be."

Joe could see it was taking every ounce of his effort not to cry. He squeezed his shoulder. "Nonsense. Please, Frank. You're brilliant and fun and selfless. You're going through a hard time right now. I mean, I've spent a huge part of my life messing up and being selfish. I did much worse than you ever will— you know that. But I grew up and I stopped blaming myself for the stupid shit I did. You always supported me and looked out for me. You always listened to me and never gave up, and I was out of control for a long time. Let me do the same for you- just be there unconditionally. Okay?" He met Frank's dark eyes.

"Okay," Frank agreed, with a small smile.

"Besides, bro, you can't help how you felt. Thoughts are just that, Frank. They come and go. They're often irrational because thoughts and feelings get all mixed up. In the end, you knew. You probably always knew. You don't know _how_ to do the wrong thing— you're a kind, good person. Please go easy on yourself. Have a fraction of the faith in yourself that I have in you- it's all you'll ever need." He smiled at Frank, hoping he understood how much he loved and admired him; he always would. "Did you tell all this to Callie?" he asked gently.

Frank nodded.

"What did she say?" he asked. "I know her pretty well, too. I bet she … she understood, didn't she?"

"That's almost the worst part," Frank managed weakly, sitting down. "She thinks it's because I never came to terms with… what… happened to her."

Joe sat across from him again, and his heart ached for Frank, who had never even mentioned Callie's past until now.

"Is she right?" Joe asked, and Frank just covered his face with both hands.

"Oh, Frank," Joe answered himself, this time reaching out to hold his brother. "I'm so sorry. I don't know the circumstances, but I do know this: you would never, ever have been responsible for anything to hurt her. I guarantee you that she feels the same way. She adores you."

He heard Frank choke back a sob, and he hugged him more tightly. "Frank, I don't know how you held this in for almost ten years. That is unbelievable."

Frank could barely speak, but he did choke out, "She needed me to."

Joe sighed and fought his own tears. "You did this on your own. No- with John, right?"

Frank just nodded. While he wasn't crying, Joe knew Frank was about as close to breaking as he'd seen him, and he needed to comfort him. "You got through that time. So did she," he said gently. "And the trial must have been…"

Frank shook his head and sat back. His eyes were haunted. "There was no trial," he whispered.

"But how-?" Joe began, and then he stopped as realization dawned on him. Oh, god. This story got worse and worse. "He's still out there?" Joe asked, holding onto his brother's arm far harder than he intended to.

Frank went to answer, but literally choked. "Joe, please. I can't go further than this right now," he finally managed, and Joe saw his hands were shaking and his face was pale.

But Joe knew if he never asked the question now, he would never get the answer. Frank had come so far. "Callie told me to help you," Joe answered at last. "She told me to support you if you needed it- and you do."

"No." Frank clung to the arm of the chair. "Joe. No. I can't...turn off ten years' of silence like a switch. What happened to her…you can never know." He actually looked as if he was about to vomit. "I will take that to my grave. John did. Trust me- you don't want to know."

"You're right! I DON'T want or need to know," Joe responded adamantly. "I just want to know that YOU are okay now. That SHE is. And if he's still out there, I swear to you I will-"

Frank gasped audibly and he stood up, pointing his finger right at him. "No. No, Joe. You will NEVER, NEVER pursue it. Promise me now. NEVER."

"Frank-" he tried to reason with him.

"Never!" Frank repeated. "Don't you think I wanted to? Don't you think it kills me every single day that…excuse me..."

Frank turned and strode quickly from the room. Joe felt his world completely invert and felt his heart pounding. He knew he had pushed Frank too far, and he hadn't meant to at all. The depth of what he didn't know about Callie's attack and all the pain they had kept hidden for so long was almost too much to process.

He walked from his office and found his brother in his own office, standing against the far wall, head buried in his hands. He opened the door and walked to him, then hugged him tightly. "I promise," he said simply. "If that's what you need. And you know I never break one. I will be here to talk about it when and if you are ever ready, but I will never ask again. Forgive me. I was only trying to help."

"It's okay," Frank replied after several minutes. He stepped back and rubbed his forehead. "I know. It's the worst thing to have happened to us, Joe. She's 100 times stronger than I'll ever be. Joe," Frank met his eyes. "That day almost... she almost died." His voice was wobbly. "You know, she's terrified to tell people— even now. She is afraid some people might say that it happened so long ago; that she needs to get over it. But they would have no idea what they're talking about. She IS a survivor; she never dwells on it. Still- now you now that she's never had closure and she... she never will." His eyes shone with tears. "I cannot make her or ask her again to let me pursue that case. She's stuck between always being terrified that it's not solved-" He chose his words very carefully- "and being terrified that if there was a trial, she would have to re-live it. It would kill her." He breathed deeply. "She is not defined by what happened to her one night a decade ago. And while I know that every... RAPE..." His voice shook, "is horrible, what she endured... you could never fathom." He wiped at his eyes, drained. "God, it's so hard to think about. I don't think it'll ever get easier. I'm sorry, Joe. I have nothing else to give today."

Humbled by Frank's candor, horrified again for Callie, and full of compassion, Joe took a minute to reply. "Thank you for giving what you did," Joe replied at last. "It means everything to me to be here for you. I hope… you know...that it helped on some level."

Frank nodded. "It did...very much," he replied weakly. "And for what it's worth, I'm happy Callie told you. That was all her. That's how much she loves and trusts you. She's still scared to tell anyone else, she may always be, and that's okay— I support her with whatever she decides now and in the future. She's through with secrets, too, but this one- it's so horrifying. The details of what happened have to be a secret- they HAVE to be- but I know you understand why. Just knowing you know is a huge relief to me, and more important, by far, for Callie. Protect her; support her. Just be yourself. That's all we both need." He squeezed Joe's shoulder.

"She's pretty remarkable," Joe managed.

"You have no idea how remarkable she is," Frank replied, but he faintly smiled.

"Well, then, in honor of both of our amazing wives, I think you should know another secret. You and Callie aren't the only ones with a hidden past. Now I need your help."

Frank was shocked. "What do you mean? What secret?"

Over the next ten minutes, Joe filled Frank in on Vanessa's past; her father; all of the things she had worked so hard to conceal for years. Frank listened attentively, eyes reflecting nothing but sympathy and understanding; even when Joe revealed that Callie had known, not a shred of resentment entered Frank's eyes. And when Frank's response to that revelation was, simply, "I'm glad that Vanessa had a support system," Joe knew that Frank was back.

What had started as a twenty minute heart- to- heart ended up at almost an hour, but, by the end, the air was cleared. Joe felt re-energized and hopeful, and he could tell that his brother was stronger, less guarded, and back to being himself, selfless and thoughtful and brave.

"So we're ready now?" Joe asked, and Frank nodded.

"Since dad and Collig are on the kidnapping case, I say we head to the jail, for Pat, then back to the station…" Frank started.

"Then to Santitori while we wait to get news about Fuller for John's daughter... for Callie," Joe added.

"And to A.C., with Biff, in a few days… for Vanessa," Frank concluded.

"And we'll do it together, this time, on the same team," Joe added, smiling.

"For US," Frank replied, reaching to hug him one last time.

"For US," Joe mirrored, ending the hug.

"Let's go," Frank said at last, leading the way to Joe's office to retrieve his coat. "It's time to do what we do best- together."

Joe simply smiled.


	16. Chapter 16

**Note:** _This chapter is a bit shorter, but goes back to at least one mystery! Thank you so much to those reading, "Favoriting", or "Following" the story. Special thanks to those who so kindly left a review on chapter 15- you all made my day: FanHB08, drumboy100, sm2003495, BMSH, hlahabibty, ErinJordan, max2013, EvergreenDreamweaver, ChrisCorso, Caranath, hbndgirl, Ritu, Paulina Ann, BeeBee18, and candylou._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 16

When Frank and Joe arrived at the jail, Frank put the car into park and turned to his brother. "Joe?" he asked.

"Yeah?" Joe responded.

"I'm glad we're on the same team again. Thanks for talking to me. And thanks for understanding when I'm just not ready to talk. But I promise you that I know you're always there for me and I appreciate it more than you can imagine." His eyes shone with gratitude.

Joe smiled at his brother, his best friend and hero for his whole life. He knew how hard it had been for Frank to learn that it was okay to share feelings, to know that he would never judge him; rather, Frank's openness had brought them much closer over the past year, and today had been just another step in the right direction to strengthening their bond. "I love you, Frank," he told him, as he'd never been afraid to share his thoughts and feelings; had never shied away from physical expressions of love. It was funny how different he and Frank were like that, but he knew that Frank felt equally as deeply in his heart. "You know that."

"I know," Frank replied at last. "And I like you most of the time."

Joe snorted.

Frank turned serious. "Listen, Joe, I'm going to handle this interview with Wright. You're too close to it."

"Hell no!" Joe retorted. "That bastard shot..."

"Point proven," Frank cut him off, meeting his gaze directly. "And if we're going to go there, you know that this Santitori case has me all… I don't even know. Confused; invested. So I'll fill you in on what you need to know, but, if we're going to do our jobs well, then I'm going to have to ask you to take the lead on that one. Is that fair? We'll switch. We have to help each other with perspective."

Joe sighed. He'd been looking forward to killing Wright, which, he supposed, DID prove Frank's point. "I guess," he said at last. "I'm not going to screw up an interview and let this guy get off on some freaking technicality because I was a hothead."

"Very mature of you," Frank said with a straight face. "You're growing up."

Joe squinted and stuck out his tongue as Frank rolled his eyes.

"All right, I'll be serious. I'll call the station or dad and see what's going on with the missing persons case. Maybe Detective Kirk can fill me in on any updates with the Santitori case while we're at it. Then we'll know what to do when you get out," Joe replied.

"Good idea," Frank responded, as he took out his own phone and looked at it quickly.

"Any word from Callie? Has she received any more notes?" Joe asked, gently.

Frank sighed before answering. "I honestly don't know. Isn't that horrible? She was supposed to have heard, and Collig had a patrol officer on the JGF, but nothing's come back to me. She might be going in today, though I'd rather her not and just leave it to the professionals." His voice was strained.

"Stop," Joe reminded him. "Be logical. She loves her job. She wants to hear something. Collig has the place covered, so I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, in that case, at least we know who we're dealing with now. We just have to find him, and believe me- we will. Sean told me that his precinct has officers helping out the Bayport PD, and they're on it. Callie's fine."

Frank let out a breath slowly. "You're right," he admitted. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'm always a pillar of logic and reason," Joe responded with a smile.

"How's Pat?" Frank asked, ignoring him.

The smile fell quickly from Joe's face. "The same. He hasn't regained consciousness. I know the doctors said that was normal with his amount of blood loss, but I won't feel better until I can see him and talk to him."

"Callie was in a similar position last year," Frank reminded him quietly. "It was a month before she woke up, and she was in a coma. You know I understand how scary that can be." Joe didn't miss the tremor in Frank's voice. "Pat'll be okay."

"Thanks," Joe replied quietly.

"You're welcome," Frank mirrored him. "You know me. I'm always a pillar of sentimentality and pathos."

Joe laughed despite himself. "I wish people knew what an idiot you can be sometimes," Joe joked. "Now go do that interview. I have some calls to make."

Frank nodded, opened the door, and, within a minute, had disappeared inside the building.

Focused now, Joe took out his cell phone and called his father. It was time to get to work.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once inside the jail, Frank shook hands with the deputy in charge who had been expecting him. He went through the usual procedures, handing over his gun, phone, wallet, and every other prohibited item before he was led to an interrogation room at the back of the building. Collig had called him directly to ask him to complete this interview, since every cop in the area had a personal vendetta against Kenneth Wright, who had almost killed Pat and taken out Joe in the process. In order to insure impartiality, an FBI investigator had booked Wright, who still had not requested an attorney, and Frank had the smallest of opportunities to interview him alone before he lawyered up.

Griffin sat inside the room and Frank spoke quietly to the federal investigator who would be watching and recording the whole interview. Wright was handcuffed and wore a cast around his leg, as he was still being treated at the prison's infirmary. At least Joe would have the satisfaction of having hurt him once.

Frank looked over Joe's and Pat's notes for a few minutes, reminding himself that he was there to investigate the murder of a young woman, not the shooting of a close friend and an almost shooting of his brother. He could be objective, but deep down, he was every bit as angry and vengeful as the entire police departments in Bayport and surrounding areas.

Finally ready, he nodded at the agent and entered.

"Mr. Wright?" Frank said, keeping his voice even. "My name is Frank Hardy, and I'm a Private Investigator. I'm working with the Bayport PD on the murder of Tanya Griffin. I'd like to speak with you regarding that matter."

Wright looked up, his face almost completely devoid of emotion. Although they were waiting on blood test results from the hospital, Frank could tell immediately that he was still semi strung out on drugs. _Maybe that's why he didn't ask for a lawyer_ , Frank mused, happy for at least one break.

"All right," he said slowly. "What do you wanna know?"

Frank studied him carefully. "Mr. Wright, you do know that you're here, on your own accord, and willfully answering these questions without the presence of a lawyer." Although he wasn't going to mention it initially, the last thing he needed was for this process to backfire and make it seem as if he was leading the guy into entrapping himself, in which case the whole interview wouldn't be admissible in court.

"Uh huh," Wright mumbled.

"Officer Merkel was coming to take you into custody the other night, when you opened fire at him. Is that true? Why would you do that?" Frank figured he might as well get Wright to confess to both the murder and the attempted murder if he had the chance to do so, and that chance had just presented itself.

Wright shrugged. "I been in trouble with the po-lice, man. I knew what was going down. Might as well take one down with me if I was goin' back, you feel me?"

Frank bit back his retort, suppressing his anger. Pat was in critical condition and Joe had almost been shot- for what? It was all so senseless. At least this confession would ensure he'd never get out. But there was another family waiting for answers, too.

"Did you kill Tanya Griffin?" he asked directly.

"Yeah," Wright replied, drawing out the word. "I was just doin' my job, man. All in a day's work."

"What does that even mean?" Frank asked.

Wright shrugged. "Mo money, mo problems."

Frank leaned forward, thinking three steps ahead of him, which, admittedly, wasn't hard to do. Even though even mentioning the word still caused his gut to churn all these years later, there was one way to know if Wright was telling the truth. "Why did you rape her?" he asked, unflinching.

Wright looked confused. "Shit, I didn't rape nobody. I can get it whenever I want it."

Frank fought for control. _Calm down, calm down,_ he told himself inwardly. Regrouping, he took a deep breath. Yes, Wright was telling the truth thus far, but he could pretend that he didn't know that.

"Well, that can't be," Frank went on, playing dumb. "She was found on the side of the road with her underwear pulled down. How do you explain that?"

Wright actually laughed. "That was nothin, man. She had to take a piss, so I pulled over and she got out of the car and I shot her. Boom!" he yelled all of a sudden. "Homegirl's out."

"Mr. Wright," Frank went on, "Perhaps we can back up a bit. Can you tell me how you knew Ms. Griffin?"

"Ya'll stupid if you don't know that." He smirked.

"I do know, actually," Frank replied evenly. "I'd just like you to verify that you used to work fo the family."

"Sure 'nuff," he responded.

"And if you had a good relationship with that family, why would you kill Tanya?"

"Listen, man," Wright replied, "Tanya was wild as hell. She was in deep shit with drugs, some charge with a drive by, hookin'. None of my business. My only business is money."

"What could you possibly have to gain?" Frank asked, confused. "If she died, you wouldn't get any policy money on her- you're no relation. Are you saying that someone paid you off to kill her? Who- and why?"

"It ain't hard to figure," Wright replied, with a smug smile. "Find Mama Maura. That's all I got to say. And when you see her, ask her to show you Big Papa's glock. Bet she can't find it, cause she gave it to me. You do your job, man. Then I'll tell you if your guesses are right- see how smart you are. I got nothin' but time, man."

"I'll be back," Frank replied curtly. He stood and left the room, stopping only when Agent Frisden called him over.

"Hardy, good job getting the confession on Merkel," he told him. "I assume I know where you're going next, and I'll call my supervisor and Collig and inform them. You take at least one or two cops with you, got it?"

"Mmm," Frank intoned. "Will do. I'll be in touch." As much as he loved investigating and getting to the bottom of things, he and Joe both had always preferred to work with locals than federal agents, who seemed to have a superiority complex a lot of the time. Conversely, his dad now preferred higher ups to locals, the Bayport PD and Collig as noted exceptions.

When he reached the car, Joe had a serious expression on his face.

"What?" Frank asked as he got into the driver's seat. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"We're needed at the station," Joe replied, eyes clouded. "This missing child case is about to blow. But dad knows we're also trying to wrap this murder case and work on Stella Santitori's case. She… her body hasn't been found. God, what a nightmare. I hope that baby is okay, and I'll be damned if I won't do everything in my power to help her."

Frank ran a hand through his hair, swallowing hard. "I know," he said softly.

"You okay?" Joe asked, concerned.

"Not really," Frank admitted. "I keep thinking about her. And then I think about John's daughter. I mean, God, Joe- I should have been on that the minute I heard about it, and…"

"No," Joe cut him off. "You did the right thing. First, you needed to make sure that it was true, because you would have lost a lot of time and had a lot of heartache if it wasn't. The police are all over it. She looked okay. More information should be coming in any minute."

"I've got to find her," Frank responded shakily. "I HAVE to, Joe. It's killing me. And then I think of Stella and wonder if she's okay. And this new missing child. And they're all tied into Laurissa and JJ, you know? I see them in … everything." His eyes were watery.

Joe nodded. "I understand, Frank. I do. I'm with you."

Frank smiled weakly. "I know, Joe. This is hard as hell."

Joe reached over and squeezed his shoulder quickly in comfort. "Let's take one thing at a time. We can't clone ourselves. As it is, we're balancing too much. But we'll do it. We always get it done. What did you find out? Is Wright still alive?" Joe asked, daring to hope.

Frank rested his head back as he blinked back his tears and regained his composure, as he always did. Joe smiled affectionately at him, grateful that Frank was at last leaning on him and letting him help.

"Well, I got to him confess to shooting Pat," Frank replied finally, as he sat straight up again. "Because he wanted to take a cop out if he was going back to jail. I know, Joe," he said, seeing Joe's immediate change of demeanor. "Stay calm. That confession will get him life at least."

"Bastard," Joe muttered.

"He sure is," Frank replied. "But I don't think he's a liar. And that's what frightens me now."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, as Frank started the car.

"He says he was paid off to kill Tanya...by her mother."

"What?!" Joe exclaimed. "You're not serious."

"I am," Frank replied, as he programmed the address into his GPS. "And we're about to find out if it's the truth. Make sure your gun is loaded," Frank went on, serious. "This could get ugly fast. And call Pat's dad and ask him to send a patrol car for backup. The Bayport PD is stretched too thin right now. Ready?" Frank asked.

Joe, thinking of what he'd just learned about the new missing child; what one of his best friends still had to deal with; what little Stella must be going through, if she was even still alive, nodded. "Ready," he replied, gravely.

And he was.


	17. Chapter 17

**Note:** _Thank you so much to those reading, "Favoriting", or "Following" the story. Special thanks to those who so kindly left a review on chapter 16- you all made my day!: FanHB08, drumboy100, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, hlahabibty, Ritu, ChrisCorso, BMSH, max2013, sm2003495, hbndgirl, Caranath, ErinJordan, Candylou, and BeeBee18._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 17

Vanessa giggled as she picked up Laurie and nuzzled her nose. "Ne-sa" the baby girl cooed, and Vanessa kissed her cheek. At not quite a year old, Laurie couldn't quite say "Aunt Vanessa" yet, but somehow "Ne-sa" had become her new name, much to the delight of JJ, who, though not yet two, clearly saw himself in the big brother role. He was constantly telling Laurie, "No, Laurie. No. It's AntVan." Vanessa laughed every time.

Now, she smiled as she finished changing Laurie, and simultaneously placed Evan in the crib. He had fallen asleep minutes ago, and Laurie wasn't far behind. As Vanessa sat down, JJ climbed onto the couch next to her and cuddled close while she started to read her niece and nephew a story.

Twenty minutes later, both kids were sound asleep, and she gently moved, so as not to disturb JJ, and, picking up Laurie, placed her next to Evan in the crib. She took a moment to look at her son and his cousin, so sweet and innocent, only two months apart, and she felt suddenly emotional. Reaching down to touch her own burgeoning stomach, she felt such peace as she thought about how fortunate she was to have been blessed with the family she had. Joe was the best husband and partner in the world: hilarious, fun, and mischievous, yet loyal and supportive and generous to a fault. To see Evan was to see the physical manifestation of their love for each other, and sometimes she couldn't believe that she could love another human being so much; knowing Joe felt the same way only helped to strengthen their already strong bond. Knowing that they would welcome another son within the year was both overwhelming and incredibly exciting.

Slowly, she backed away from the babies and headed to JJ, still so young, himself. She reached over to the crib and grabbed a blanket, covering him and leaning down to kiss his head. What a handsome and precocious child he was, and it was endearing to see how much Joe loved him. Those two were going to be incredibly close through the years, and seeing the start of that bond right now was so special.

Suddenly, she thought of her own father and felt the smile falter a bit. _Please, Joe. Please let the news be good._ She was scared to death to find out the truth of her father's life, and she knew that her mom felt the same way. Somehow, though, deep down, she knew that it was the time to do so. Joe was right. His unwavering support and encouragement, his reiteration that she should love her dad unconditionally, gave her strength…. no matter what the outcome would be.

"Hey," she said as she heard Callie come up behind her. "You took forever!" she teased. "Hot date on the other line? Because…" She stopped the minute that she saw the look on Callie's face, a strange mixture of fear, confusion, and resolve. "Cal? You okay?" She turned to her.

Callie nodded, quiet. "Yeah."

"Oh, Cal- look!" Vanessa said in a low voice. She grabbed Callie's hand and lead her the few steps to the crib, where Laurie and Evan were now holding hands. "Oh my god- that's the cutest thing I think I've ever seen. I have to take a picture in a minute."

Callie squeezed her hand and finally smiled. "That IS pretty cute," she admitted.

"So let's chat," Vanessa told her. "Stay here while I get my phone to take the pictures. Be right back!" She waltzed out of the room, excited to capture the moment, and, true to her word, soon returned, snapping away. She found Callie sitting on the couch, now holding JJ in her arms as he snuggled into her.

She sat in the chair adjacent to Callie. "He's a cuddly monkey," Vanessa said, nodding in JJ's direction.

Callie brushed back his hair. "He's my baby angel," she said tenderly, looking at him.

Vanessa looked away for a minute to glance at the pictures she had taken. When she looked up, she was shocked to see Callie crying softly. Callie almost never cried, and she was instantly on alert.

Vanessa immediately stood and sat by her sister in law and dearest friend. "Okay- well, I was going to ask how you've been holding up, but I can see it's not too good. Want to talk about it?" She knew Callie well enough not to push her. Although Callie was the kindest and most supportive friend she had ever had, she liked to handle things by herself first before sharing. She and Frank were exactly alike in that manner.

"I'm not okay, Van," Callie said shakily, to Vanessa's shock, as she wiped a hand unsteadily across her eyes for a brief moment. "I am a hot, emotional mess right now."

Vanessa leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I know, honey. Tell me about it. I'm so glad you're talking to me." Glad, yes… stunned, even more. This was so unlike Callie, and Vanessa knew that meant how shaken she must be.

"I don't even know what to say," Callie said quietly, picking JJ up and adjusting him against her chest so that his head was resting on her shoulder. She turned towards Vanessa. "But do you want me to be honest?"

"Please," Vanessa encouraged her. "I'm here to help, Cal, even if it's just to listen."

"I am terrified," Callie said slowly and softly, fighting tears. "I've gotten three increasingly bad threats about John's … baby…"

"Did you tell Frank and Joe?" Vanessa asked, immediately.

"No," Callie acknowledged. "And I'm scared. The first one came to my office in the form of a letter with the picture. Then, two nights ago, I got another note- at the house. And yesterday- last night- I got a call on my cell phone. This guy is looking for me specifically because of my relationship with Johnny, and he wants the money in the next week- he said he will let me know exactly when and where and how… or he'll… kill her."

"Are you freaking kidding me?" Vanessa cried. "Call Frank right now!"

"I can't!" Callie retorted, finally giving up and placing JJ in his own crib which was also set up in the living room. When she returned, her eyes were clouded over and teary. "I'm not an idiot. I told the officer in charge and I'm sure he'll let Chief Collig know, and I know damned well that they have coverage on me. I don't care about me. I care about that beautiful baby, Van. That's Johnny's daughter! God- it's such a miracle. I need to save her. I'll do anything." She wiped at her eyes. "I'll pay the money, somehow. I'll do whatever I need to-"

"Hell no you won't!" Vanessa answered her, cutting her off. "You will NOT put yourself in danger."

"I have to do something!" Callie answered. "And I will."

Vanessa stood up, as Callie was doing, yet she towered over Callie by a good 8 or 9 inches. Despite that, Callie had a presence about her, a fiery spirit, that was formidable to take on. "What are you gonna do, Callie? This is asinine. I know you want to help. I get it. But you're married to a detective and …"

"And we're going through some things right now," Callie replied, again shocking Vanessa. "Look," Callie went on, backtracking, "we're fine… but I cannot burden him with this."

"Burden?!" Vanessa blurted out. "John was one of his best friends! This is hardly a burden!"

Callie crossed her arms. "My husband is in the middle of a case where a baby girl… might have died," Callie said shakily. "He's doubting himself right now because he can't figure out what happened at that scene- I know him- and he's getting obsessed with finding that baby, and I can't blame him. I think there was a call for a new missing child case. Oh, add to it the fact that Pat was shot and almost died, and Joe was… almost shot…" she choked out her words. "They're dealing with a murder case, too! Van, I… I have to do something."

Vanessa sighed, half in exasperation and half in awe. "Callie," she tried again, "Frank will put you first, always!"

"I can't ask him to," Callie replied tearfully.

"You don't _have_ to ask him to!" Vanessa retorted. "I want to shake you!"

Callie looked stunned.

"I say that with love, of course," Vanessa finished with a small smile. "Can I be honest with you now?"

Callie nodded.

"You need to give Frank a little more credit. I know you're scared and overwhelmed and emotional. I know how much you loved Johnny, and I agree with you that it's vital to get on it, and it's good that you at least told the cops what's going on." She reached for Callie's hands and squeezed them both. "Callie, Frank and I have gotten a lot closer in the past year, and even though I know we still have a lot to learn about each other, I can tell you this: he loves you with every fiber of his being. I mean, he literally adores you. You two are the truest definition of soul mates I have ever seen. Please tell me you know that."

"I do," Callie said, miserably. "But-"

"No! No but's!" Vanessa cut her off. "You are not bothering him. And furthermore," she went on, "my husband considers you his sister. He is always telling me how you 'get' him, and how much fun he has with you. For as much as you two used to fight, now you're really best friends… maybe even closer than we are."

"No, Vanessa. It's not like that," Callie tried to say.

"Cal, you idiot, I don't care. I think it's really cute. My point is that if you won't ask Frank to drop everything, then ask Joe. Please! Neither one would want you to suffer. They're really stressed right now, and I know they're working on a lot, but I guarantee you that you haven't been forgotten. Ask them to tell you what they know, and you share what you know. That's how it works."

Callie let out a small laugh as she released her hands from Vanessa. "You're the most positive and supportive person I've ever met," Callie told her. "You'd talk to them and pull them off their other cases, wouldn't you?"

"Yes!" Vanessa replied, half sighing. "I would."

"I have a plan," Callie replied shakily.

Vanessa's mouth fell open before she spoke. "Oh, geez. I can't even imagine. Go ahead."

"Don't lecture me," Callie retorted, and Vanessa would have responded, but she saw the deep pain in Callie's eyes, and it was enough to stop her.

"I won't," Vanessa replied softly, not wanting to upset her further.

"I called Nancy Drew Nickerson," Callie said weakly. "And of all the luck, she happens to be in Manhattan and she said she would be more than happy to meet with me- tomorrow morning. I think she might be able to help."

Rarely in her life had Vanessa been speechless, rarely had she ever been shocked. When she could finally speak, all she could manage was, "WHAT?!"

"I'm going, Van. You can't stop me." With those words, Callie reached over to her, hugged her tightly, and walked from the room.

Vanessa watched her go. She could not have been more shocked if Callie had said that hell had frozen over. NANCY DREW. The name itself was the embodiment of…

She couldn't even think.

But what she could do was act. No, she couldn't stop Callie… but she knew someone who could.

Knowing exactly what she had to do, she reached for her cell phone and punched in the first number on her contact screen. The call was picked up on the second ring.

"Hey, baby," she said after she heard the warm cadence of Joe's voice greeting her. "We've got a problem."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joe listened attentively, shocked, as Vanessa explained what Callie had told her. As he focused on her words, he felt mixture of emotions, chief among them sadness for Callie. How desperate she must be to call on Nancy, how alone she must feel. He knew that things were tense with Frank and Callie, but he also knew that they would get through it; those two had the deepest love and connection he had ever seen. Still, this was bad.

"I got it, babe. I love you," he told her, disconnecting the line. He was beyond grateful that Frank was speaking with Detective Vogelthorpe on the phone and was filling the car up. He, himself, had chosen the last two minutes to run into the local WaWa to grab a coffee. No way would Frank have been able to handle that information from Vanessa right now, and he needed time to decide what to tell him and how to help Callie at the same time.

He returned to the car where Frank was waiting for him. "Forget something?" Frank said to him, teasing, as he opened the passenger door.

"Crap," Joe muttered, realizing that he had forgotten the coffee when Vanessa had called. "Sorry, Frank. I got distracted."

"No worries," Frank said easily. "I've had entirely too much coffee anyway lately."

They got into the car, and Frank pulled away from the station.

"Talk to Vogelthorpe, the asshole?" Joe asked, unnecessarily hostile. Anything to do with the guy who always had given Pat such a hard time was unsettling, especially now.

Frank smiled. "Chill, Joe. I know he's a cocky jerk, but he's sending backup to us just in case we need it. He called off Pat's dad's division. Give him the benefit of the doubt now, okay? Don't lose focus."

Joe wanted to ask Frank exactly where his relationship stood with Callie, but he stopped himself before he began. Frank needed to be totally focused right now, himself- the smallest distraction could be disastrous. Besides, if anyone could handle Callie, Joe knew it was him. He just had to think of a plan. If only just one of these cases wasn't so damned serious...and naturally they all hit at the exact same time. "Okay," he replied, simply. While he hated being patient, he COULD do it, and this was one of those times where there was no choice.

Pulling up next to the Griffin's house, Joe noticed that the backup had not yet arrived and he grumbled under his breath.

"I'll take the lead," Frank told him, unequivocally. "I interviewed Wright. I know what to ask."

"She knows me," Joe responded, logically, but, looking at Frank's determined expression, he gave in. "Fine. Whatever."

As soon as Frank knocked on the door, Joe cut in front of him. He would defer to his brother, but he knew how to schmooze better than him, and he was ready to put his skills to the test.

"Maura," Joe said when the door was opened. "How are you? My partner Frank and I have a few more questions. Mind if we come in?" He flashed his most dazzling smile.

"Have you found any news?" she asked fearfully, leading them into her home.

Joe suppressed a smile as he could practically feel Frank glaring into his back. "We do have a bit of news," Joe began, "but I'll let Frank explain. Would you mind if I looked around again?"

She looked at him quizzically. "What are you all looking for?" she asked. "And where's your police friend?"

Joe forced a smile. "He's not available right now. Frank's with me today."

Maura turned her glance to Frank, then to Joe. "Are ya'll related? You kinda look alike, minus the coloring."

"We're brothers," Joe told her, as Frank waited patiently in the background. "I'm the younger and better looking one." He gave her a quick wink and saw Frank shoot him daggers behind her.

Joe's joking seemed to work, though. She loosened up a bit and actually smiled. "I'd like to talk to you, Joe, if it's all the same."

"Fine with me," Joe replied. "Mind if I speak with Frank for a moment?"

"Not at all," she replied. "I'll get you both cans of soda."

As she turned towards the kitchen, Frank shook his head, caught between amusement and annoyance. "Really?" Frank asked. "I thought you were going to listen to me for once in your life."

"You know me better than that," Joe replied, a twinkle in his eye.

"This is actually serious," Frank responded, changing tone. "This woman is being accused of paying off someone to kill her daughter. This could be dangerous. Have you seen her husband? You need to look out for him and wait for backup which should be coming soon."

Joe met Frank's eyes. "Yeah, she's being accused by a guy who admitted to murder and who shot Pat- not exactly a reliable witness, right? You don't need to tell me to be careful. I get it, okay?"

"Okay," Frank replied after a minute. "I trust you. I'll check out the house again under the guise of seeing what Tanya might have been involved with prior to meeting up with Wright. Let her know that, and tell her that Wright is in custody and that it's better if she talks to you now rather than down at the station. Let her know the accusation. Let her…"

"Frank?" Joe interrupted. "I love you, bro, but you're forgetting that I'm 27 and I've been doing this for about 12 years. I've got it. Relax."

Finally Frank smiled. "You're right. I'll go."

Joe pat his shoulder as Frank turned and headed into the living room. He had to smile. Frank was the consummate big brother, always, even after all of these years.

"Want your cola now?" Maura asked, coming to stand by him.

"Sure. Thanks," Joe replied, taking it. "So listen, Maura, can we talk for a while? I need to run some things by you."

"Okay," she replied, ushering him into the kitchen. "Talk. Any news about Tanya?"

"Yes, actually," Joe responded, opening the can of soda. In the distance, out the window, he saw the police cruiser approach and Frank walk over to the officer to buy him some time. Over the next ten minutes, after explaining what Frank was looking into, Joe explained everything: how they found Wright, what had transpired with Pat, and, finally, what Wright had accused Maura of.

"Well, that's just ridiculous!" Maura cried, outraged. "My daughter is dead, and THIS is what I get?"

"I understand," Joe replied, gently. "I really do. But there are some questions that are outstanding that we need to check out. If you're upfront with me now, I'll fill in the police and help you through questioning to cut down on your time. We're only trying to get justice for Tanya."

"Kenneth Wright is a no good son of a bitch," she retorted angrily. "He always was. What do you want to know?"

"How long did he work for you?" Joe asked.

"About a year. Did odd jobs around the house. He was always gettin' Tanya in trouble, and she was no saint to start with."

Joe furrowed his brows. "Isn't that kind of a strange way to talk about your daughter?" he asked.

"It was the truth. You know it. Everyone knows it. If I didn't say it, you'd think I was lying."

"Maybe," Joe countered, "or I would think you're a grieving mom. Why do you think that Wright would accuse you? What could he have gained from killing Tanya?"

Maura shrugged. "He's a low life. He and Tanya were probably gonna get in some more trouble and he probably killed her because she wouldn't go along with some crazy scheme. Or maybe it was self defense."

"What?" Joe asked. "Maura, she was shot several times when she asked him to stop the truck to go to the bathroom. That's hardly a fighting pose." He changed tactics. "He told Frank that you have a gun in your possession- or you should. What do you know about that?"

Joe noticed that she stiffened considerably.

"I got lots of guns. They belong to my husband."

"May I see them?" Joe asked. "Have you and your husband always had guns? Do you own a glock, specifically?"

Maura stood, defensive. "Me and him got guns when we got married about ten years ago. He was a hunter. I… yeah. Follow me and I'll show you."

As Joe followed, he texted Frank quickly to tell him to wait with the officer. When he approached the cabinet, a thought occurred to him as Maura opened it.

"Maura, you said that your husband and you were married a decade ago. Is he Tanya's father?" Joe queried.

"No he ain't," she replied. She looked angry. "Now look in the damned cabinet and see if you can find what you're looking for."

"I don't see a glock," Joe pointed out.

"Oh," she said, surprised. "Well, I don't know much about guns," she admitted. "Glocks and whatnot. They're all the same to me. Maybe my husband knows. He'll be home later."

"They're all legally obtained, I assume?" Joe asked.

"As far as I know, yeah," she answered.

"Fair enough," Joe answered. "Listen, Maura, you're going to have to answer a few more questions for one of the officers here down at the station. Then I'm sure you'll be driven back. I'll make sure to tell them how cooperative you've been. Remember- this is all for Tanya. We're just eliminating suspects so that we can get justice for you."

"Fine," she muttered. Joe followed her to the kitchen where she grabbed her purse, and lead her to the officer in charge, where she would be taken in a patrol car, unhandcuffed, to the station.

Back in Frank's car a few minutes later, it was Frank who spoke first. "What do you think? On a positive note, she went cooperatively. Her house is very lower middle class- nothing terrible stands out."

Joe sighed, stretching, before strapping on his seat belt. "Something's off," Joe replied, relaying the events of the interview. He finished with, "So, I don't like it. No one talks about their dead kid like that. I have to look into the fact that Tanya's dad is not Maura's husband. For some weird reason I think that's important. Plus, she knew how to open that gun cabinet pretty easily. Can Callie open yours?"

Frank let out a soft laugh. "No. She's horrible about it and she wants nothing to do with guns."

"Same with Van," Joe answered. "And let me tell you this. If you use a gun regularly, you know how to open that cabinet. Yet, she said she didn't know a thing about it. It doesn't gel. And you know what wasn't there?"

"A glock," Frank answered.

"Yup," Joe responded. "I think we're at a standstill here. At this point, I think you need to go back tomorrow and re-interview Wright, and research the hell out of that whole family. You know…" he started, thoughtful. "Van is awesome at computer stuff. She could help. Why don't you guys come over tomorrow night to my house and work on that? Set the interview for two days."

"Okay," Frank sighed. "I talked to dad. He said to lay off the missing child case until we get this one done, and I guess that makes sense. He says the Bayport PD and the feds are all over it. But he'll need us ASAP as soon as this case is wrapped up. Plus, that'll give us time to get on John's case."

"At least there's a plan," Joe responded. "Tonight, I'm going to go to the hospital for a bit after you drop me off to see Pat. You need to go home and rest and talk to Callie."

"Why talk to Callie?" Frank asked. "Never mind. You're right. We have to be on the same team and I could use time with her."

As they drove back to Frank's house, Joe reviewed the facts from the day. He knew he still needed to call Biff as well and to work on Vanessa's dad's case, though he knew Vanessa would give him a little more time with no problem. He also had conversation with Vanessa from earlier in his mind, which brought up all sorts of issues: his closeness with Frank and his promise to always be honest with him, and his love for Callie, and his promise to always help her. Joe wasn't even sure if those two things were at odds with each other.

But he did know this- he was going to help them both: for Frank and Callie, for Vanessa...and for Johnny.

He would figure it out. There was no choice.


	18. Chapter 18

**Note:** _Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter to Paulina Ann, Hero76, EvergreenDreamweaver, Drumboy100, Ritu, Candylou, ChrisCorso, max2013, sm2003495, ErinJordan, HighFlyer, BMSH, and Caranath. This chapter serves as a bit of a transition into the next chapters, which begin the action, discussion, and solutions of the cases. Oh- and Nancy Drew appears in Chapter 19 and will remain a factor for the duration of the story. :) Enjoy!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 18

Callie finished unpacking her overnight bag at checked her watch, which now read 9:00. She was exhausted. Earlier in the day, she had set up the meeting with Nancy Drew Nickerson for tomorrow at 10:00, and she wanted to make sure that she was in the city and not frazzled before the meeting.

After she had told Vanessa, she had made a reservation at the hotel and begged her parents to come over and watch the kids for one night. Though they had been more than happy to do so, she knew they were confused. _They're not the only ones._

She had agonized over what to wear, what to bring, what to say. She was prepared with the evidence, knew how to speak about the case. But… she was scared and on edge and confused. She knew she had to do this, for so many reasons, but it was one of the hardest things she could remember forcing herself to do.

 _Frank_. She closed her eyes for a minute and tried to ignore the ache in her heart. She had texted him and explained that she had to take care of something for Johnny, and that she would be back tomorrow. She hadn't offered any more of an explanation, though she'd used a credit card so he could track her and left a note as to where she would be so he wouldn't worry.

In truth, this plan made her feel sick. She couldn't face Frank, not yet, and not telling him exactly what she was doing made her feel like a coward and a liar, not to mention an awful wife. And leaving her babies hurt her badly. She loved them so much, never really wanted to be away from them at all, and now she felt like a terrible mom, too. In short, she was losing her identity and her focus, because she wanted so desperately to help.

Taking her hair out of a ponytail, she brushed it back and bit her lip nervously. What the hell what she doing? She blinked back tears.

"Might as well go to bed," she muttered to herself, figuring that maybe something would change in the morning.

Before she could get changed, there was a knock on the door, causing her to jump. Her heart started pounding, and she fought fear. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind: being alone with no protection, someone knowing who she was, the man who had John's daughter, that night…

"Callie! Open up, sis."

Shocked and recognizing the voice, Callie gasped and raced to the door, where Joe stood with a box of pizza. "Can I come in?" he asked, as he walked into the room, pushed the door shut, and placed the box of pizza on a nearby table.

"Wh... what are you doing here?" she asked, finally able to form a sentence.

He smiled at her. "I'm about to relax and eat some pizza. I don't know about you." He winked.

Everything hit her at once, and she felt her lower lip start to quiver. Before she knew what was happening, she felt Joe's arms around her and she started crying softly against him. For several minutes, she just held tightly to him as he rubbed her back gently in a gesture of support.

"Hey," he whispered to her as he kissed the top of her head, "It's okay, Cal. I promise- it'll all be okay. And you know what they say about me."

Callie weakly pulled away from him as she wiped her eyes. "You never break a promise. I know."

Joe leaned down and kissed her cheek, holding her hand and leading her to the couch at the end of the room. He smiled fondly at her. "Nancy Drew, Cal?"

"Yeah," Callie replied miserably. "Vanessa told you, I guess," she added.

"Of course," Joe replied dismissively. "As she should have."

"Okay," was all she could answer.

"Why, Cal? Might as well come clean with me." He squeezed her hand.

"Cause maybe she can help me," Callie responded, voice shaky.

"Did ya think for like a minute that she might be _mildly_ curious why you're asking for her help when you're married to a detective, and your brother in law is one, and your father in law is the top one in the nation?" Joe asked, gently. There was no judgement in his voice, and Callie looked up. "And, you know, we have connections, too. Cops, federal agents… people who owe us favors. You have to admit, it looks … weird."

"I... I couldn't distract you from your cases," Callie sighed, wiping her eyes again with her free hand.

Joe rolled his eyes. "I really hope you're not serious," he went on, tone light. "You know, just FYI, I knew from Collig about the contact with you. And we have traces on Fuller and we'll get him soon. Your case is top priority." Seeing her looking down, Joe reached over and put his hand under her chin, making her lift her head to meet his eyes again. "Callie, you nut, I love you. Frank loves you. And we both cared about John. Please… never feel alone again. I'm proud of you for telling Vanessa and I know this move took guts, but you will never need to be on your own."

"Thanks, Joey," she managed as he dropped his hand.

"So," Joe went on, still meeting her eyes, "continuing on this total honesty thing, tell me why. It can't be simply because you needed help and didn't want to bother us. I mean, it's Nancy."

Callie sighed heavily and paused for several moments. "Do you hate her?" Callie asked, inexplicably.

"Do I?" Joe asked, surprised. "No. Not at all. I haven't seen her in years. When we were kids, Nancy and Frank…" He paused when he saw the look on her face. "Is that what this is about?" he asked. "Cal? Tell me you don't have any doubts at all about Frank. PLEASE tell me that's not even a thought in your mind." He couldn't believe it.

"No," Callie replied. "Oh, Joe. No. I love Frank so much. I trust him implicitly. I crossed that bridge a long time ago. But… I mean, I don't know. It's personal."

Joe studied her, relying on analyzing her reponses with simply his instinct as he knew her so well. He thought of anything she had ever said to him regarding Nancy, which honestly wasn't much. Then, he thought of the talk he had recently had with Frank, and suddenly things began to make sense.

"Frank talked to me," Joe told her, voice soft. "Cal, you were right. On Christmas, when you told me… about your assault…" He reached for her hand again and rubbed it gently. "You told me that Frank might need a support system, and he did. He _does_. And he's been great being open with me."

"Good," Callie said, honestly. "He needs you."

"I need him. We need each other- we all do. Cal, Frank told me about your talk the other night. He told me that you believe that he blames himself for your attack. Is that true?"

"This is so hard," Callie said at last. "I… Frank and I are pretty private," she finished, blushing.

"I respect that, Cal, I do," Joe assured her. "But this is important."

Finally, she answered him directly. "Yes, he does. And it's ridiculous and I feel horrible that he thinks it. John did, too, you know."

"Because they love you," Joe told her. "And for what it's worth, Cal, Frank knows he screwed up about John. He KNOWS, and he feels terrible about it. But that's why you came here, isn't it?" he asked her, gently. "You needed to confront Nancy for yourself, to see the woman you perceive came between the two of you all those years ago, so you could reconcile any resentment you have towards Frank?"

"Absolutely not!" Callie responded, hurt. "Joe, no. I have no resentment towards Frank. It was _not_ his fault. Yes, I want to see her-I'm curious. And yes- I'm insecure." She was struggling for control. "But god, Joe. I loved Johnny and I really do need help and I really didn't want to pressure Frank, especially because his feelings are all over the place."

"They WERE," Joe corrected her. "He knows where he stands now, and if anyone deserves a break, it's Frank. Give it to him. He's dealing with a lot."

"I know," Callie replied. "So I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to act quickly and not add to your stress, RIGHT OR WRONG," she added. "Right or wrong."

"There's got to be more," he told her.

"There is," she added finally. "Joey, if Frank saw Nancy, I thought… it might help."

'I don't follow," Joe told her.

"Okay," Callie replied, searching for the right way to articulate her feelings. "Joe, Frank blames himself. He feels he wasn't there for me when I was… assaulted… because we had broken up. And we broke up because he cheated on me, with Nancy. I thought that if he saw her, maybe he could put it in the past if he realized that I really could and did so; that there's no blame left. It- _\- she_ -is the final piece of our past that remains unresolved. Does that make sense?"

Joe sighed and smiled at her, shaking his head. "That is the most convoluted logic I have heard in a long, long time," he told her. "No, it doesn't make sense… to me. But maybe it does to you and maybe it will to my brother. And I'm not so arrogant anymore that I think I couldn't use every bit of help offered to me- I'm not a kid anymore, and Nancy is a damned good detective. So if you want to talk to her, fine. I just thought that I'd lend you my support. Johnny's little girl is literally all the matters, but if you can get some closure, or Frank can, for whatever is outstanding, more power to you, sis."

"Thanks, Joe," she told him, standing up at the same time he did. She stepped into his outstretched arms and hugged him tightly. "Thank you for coming into the city for me- you must be so tired."

"Nah," Joe replied with a wave of his hand as he stepped back. "I'm staying here overnight in case you want me to go with you tomorrow morning, but then I have to jet. Murder case and all…" he added with a smile. "I think you'll be fine, though. You'll have support." He reached into the pizza box and took out 4 slices, placing them on the paper plates he had brought in as well. He then closed the box and left it there. "You may be up late, so try to get some rest at least." He headed for the door. "Call me in the morning. I'm in room 1202 if you need me."

"Uh… okay?" she asked. "What do you mean I'll be up late? What support?"

"Night, sis," he told her. "Love you, crazy girl." He waved and shut the door.

Callie smiled as she watched Joe depart. At times like this, she couldn't believe that there had ever been a time that she and Joe had really disliked each other. He was the brother she never had, her biggest cheerleader next to Frank, next to Johnny, and she was immeasurably touched by his kindness.

Quickly, she texted Vanessa a "Thank you," followed by an emoji happy face blowing kisses.

Then, there was a knock at the door. "What now, Joe?" she called as she walked happily to the door and opened it. When she did, everything changed.

Frank stood before her, a bouquet of roses in his hand. She couldn't move, stunned.

He walked in the door and kicked it closed with his foot, placing the flowers on the table by the door. When he turned to her, he had the shy, sweet look expression that she had fallen in love with so many years ago. "I'm sorry, baby. I messed up," he said softly.

They were separated by only a few feet. "Me, too. I'm sorry, too," she whispered. "Forgive me."

He walked to her, and wrapped her in his strong arms, pulling her into him. Her heart was beating hard against her chest as she looked up at the love of her life. In that moment, she saw the boy she had fallen in love with so many years ago and the man who continued to be her whole world, who had seen her through the most beautiful and most horrific times of her life. Suddenly, nothing else mattered except the fact he was there, and she finally felt whole again, safe and cherished and understood.

He stroked her cheek gently. "We're going to get through this," he whispered back.

"I… don't want to talk," she managed, feeling almost euphoric as his lips hovered just inches from hers. She felt heat travel through her, love and overpowering desire filling her from head to toe. He'd always had that effect on her, and she felt lightheaded as her breathing became heavier.

"There _are_ better ways to communicate," he replied, huskily, and he picked her up and carried her to the beautiful queen bed, eyes never leaving hers.

And he was right about that. He was unbelievably, incredibly, right.


	19. Chapter 19

**Note:** _Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter to hbndgirl, FANHB08, Drumboy100, HighFlyer, ChrisCorso, max2013, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, BMSH, sm2003495, candylou, Ritu, ErinJordan, and Caranath. I am so appreciative for your comments and I always love to hear what people think! Warning: Slightly suggestive scene at the end of the chapter for pure fluff reasons. Nancy will remain a presence throughout the story. Enjoy!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 19

The next morning, in the hotel bathroom, Callie finished applying her makeup and adjusting the navy designer wrap dress adorned with tasteful red flowers that she had brought for the meeting. Although her wardrobe had become more casual in the last three years since her pregnancies and children, she still had plenty of dress outfits and business suits that she could utilize at her discretion.

As she slipped on her pumps and applied perfume, she took a moment to take a deep breath as she looked in the mirror. Today was important for a lot of reasons, especially for Johnny. But it was also important to close this chapter in her life, in Frank's life, and she could not have been more grateful that he was there with her. Joe had been right; she would have all the support she would need. To that end, she had texted him an hour ago and told him to head home, where Frank would meet up with him in a bit. She could not have been more grateful for her brother in law; Joe never let her down.

Glancing at her watch, she realized that they had only a half hour to meet Nancy at a little cafe very close to the hotel that she had chosen. Opening the door, she headed into the main bedroom, where Frank was finishing adjusting his tie.

When he saw her, his face broke into a huge smile and he walked over to her, slipping his arms easily around her waist. "Wow. You look gorgeous," he told her, nuzzling her neck. "Damn, the only thing I'll enjoy more than looking at you in that dress is getting you out of it." His hands started moving lower as he continued to kiss her neck.

Callie blushed, but started giggling softly. "Babe, we can't. We have to go."

"I didn't hear you complaining last night," he breathed into her ear. "Or this morning..." he murmured softly.

Callie laughed, though her face was flushed. "No complaints, sweetheart," she replied softly. She pulled away from him slowly. "But we do have to leave. I don't want to be late."

Frank groaned, but then leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Okay. As long as I can take a rain check on unwrapping that dress."

"Rain check granted," she told him as she allowed him to help her on with her coat before donning his own. "To be redeemed immediately after this meeting." She blew him a kiss.

"Cal?" he asked, before they left the room.

"Yes?" she asked.

"We need to do this more often," he told her, sincerely. "I love our life with our children; they're my everything…. but so are you." He touched her cheek gently. "I never want to lose US, because our kids deserve all of us, and so do we."

"I agree," she replied, looking at him tenderly.

"I want them to see what it's like to have parents who really love each other. I want JJ to see how to treat a woman one day; I want Laurie to always know her worth. And I want Hope, when we get her, to know that family is forever, that relatives are the fortune in our lives, and never to be afraid that her family will be taken from her."

Callie felt tears well in her eyes, and Frank hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead. "I told you I know I messed up," he said to her, softly. "I will fight for that baby and I swear to you I will get her back, and, if there is any way on Earth that we can somehow take her into our family, I will make it happen. For John and you and me and all of us. Okay?"

"You will never, ever know how much I love you," was all she could manage.

"Ditto," he replied. "I love myself a lot, too. I'm a catch," he joked, lightly.

Callie laughed softly as she wiped her tears away. "You sound like Joe more and more every day."

"Is that bad?" he asked. "Word on the street is you kind of like him."

Callie nodded and stood on tiptoe to kiss Frank's lips lightly.

Hand in hand, they headed to the cafe. "Are you okay with this?" she asked softly as they walked.

"Are you?" he asked her.

"I'm nervous," Callie admitted. "But I'm more nervous about the baby." She pulled on his hand slowly, stopping him, before they walked outside. "You know this had nothing to do with my faith in you, right? It was an impulsive decision to …" She bit her lip.

He turned to her. "I understand, honey," he told her. "And maybe you're right. I hope she CAN help. It might be a little awkward…. But I get it." He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it. "It'll be fine."

Callie met his eyes, and, for a moment, time stood still. There was so much to say, yet no words would do any good. He always understood. Looking at him, she felt so very fortunate to have married the man who loved her and supported her and went with her crazy, impulsive tendencies with no shred of self-consciousness or anger. She told him so.

Frank smiled at her, and her heart melted. "Cal, I grew up with Joe. I'm used to crazy, impulsive behavior," he told her easily. "Plus, I understand you. You don't need to explain. I know why you did this and I'm okay with it; really." He offered her his arm, which she took, gratefully, for support, and he winked at her.

She was struck again by how very much she loved him.

It was only fifteen minutes later when they arrived at the cafe with a few minutes to spare. They found a little table near the back, where Frank helped her off with her coat and sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her slim shoulders and kissing her temple.

"Now I'm starting to get really nervous," Callie told him, instinctively moving closer to him. "It's so silly. What you guys had was a decade ago, and…."

"We had nothing," Frank told her, turning to face her. "Nothing like you and I have." His eyes were completely serious. "Nancy was a flirtation, though yes...I did care about her." He was blushing now, and Callie felt a hundred emotions all at once. "But you have always been and always will be my greatest, my _only_ love." He sighed as he looked toward the ceiling for a moment, collecting himself, before he met her eyes again. "You were right," he told her softly. "I did need to see her again, to try to make peace with the guilt I have…" His voice was shaky. "It's not Nancy's fault. It was mine alone."

"Stop," she told him. "Honey, don't do this."

"I have to work through this," he told her. "But I'm glad you're here with me."

"Frank? Callie?" A voice shook them both from their little world and they looked up. "So great to see you!"

Callie had to snap herself out of her shock as she went to stand along with Frank. _She was gorgeous._ Nancy Drew was far more beautiful than she had imagined her to be: tall, willowy, with shoulder length reddish blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. Even dressed simply, in black slacks and a turquoise shirt, she was stunning. Callie gulped. _You arranged this. You called HER_ , she reminded herself.

Nancy embraced them both quickly as Callie tried to process what was going on, and Frank, ever the gentleman, kissed Nancy's cheek and pulled out her chair for her.

"It's so great to see you again," Nancy said to them both. "Gosh, it's been years. Callie, I know we only met once a long time ago, but it was so nice to hear from you- I just wish it was under better circumstances," she said, sympathetically. "And Frank, I didn't expect to see you here," she went on, smiling. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Thanks for meeting us, Nancy," Frank responded, and Callie nodded as she let Frank take the lead. She was reassured when Frank covered her hand with his own.

"You're welcome. We should have done this a lot earlier," Nancy said. She laughed softly. "It's a little weird, huh? To try to catch up on ten years' worth of things?" She smiled at them. "I see you're married now. Congratulations. How long has it been?" she asked, casually. Callie could see that she really was making an effort.

"It's been three beautiful years since Callie gave in and agreed to be my bride," Frank answered, taking a moment to wink at her before turning to Nancy. "Three years and two kids later- a boy and girl." He was being nice, kind, as he always was, but Callie could sense the slight tension in his body.

"Wow," Nancy responded. "That's great. Callie, you look amazing. Congrats again."

"Thank you," Callie replied, shyly. She didn't know Nancy and she felt a little lost, but, as always, Frank picked up the slack.

"What about you?" Frank asked in turn. "Callie says your website has Nickerson on it."

Nancy smiled. "It does." She held up her left hand, adorned with a lovely diamond wedding set. "We got engaged pretty young, as you know, but waited a few years to tie the knot so that Ned could get established in his career. He's an associate in my dad's law firm now," she went on, warmly. "Five years for us. But… no kids. Not yet."

"I'm glad you're happy, Nancy," Frank told her, and Callie studied them both to see what she was missing, but there was… nothing. Just two old ...friends. Suddenly, it was slightly easier to breathe.

"I am," Nancy replied. "And the same goes for you." She touched Frank's arm gently before withdrawing her hand, but Frank simply rubbed Callie's hand in response.

"And Joe's good? How's he doing these days?" Nancy asked.

"He's great," Frank responded. "He and Vanessa are married now, and they have a son. Vanessa's pregnant right now with baby #2," he added. "And Joe's exactly as you remember him." Frank smiled, thinking of his brother.

"So," Nancy went on, "maybe we could switch gears for a few minutes?" she asked.

Callie nodded and found her voice. "Sure. Yes."

Nancy looked at them both. "Callie, when you called, my receptionist patched you through to me in the city here. I'm accompanying my dad on one of his conferences and I just wrapped up a case myself. I was only planning on being in the city for another 2 or 3 days, but I can extend that if need be; no problem. I assume that there's something I can help you with that maybe you're having difficulty with?"

She was being diplomatic, Callie realized. Rather than just asking why the Hardys weren't handling it, she was leaving it in their court and offering to help. The kindness was unexpected, and Callie was unsure of what to say. She bit her lip, feeling awkward and uncharacteristically shy.

Again, Frank took the lead. "Nancy, the truth is that things have been overwhelming in Bayport," he began, "and we have multiple cases that we're dealing with."

"I assume that missing child case is one of them," Nancy said, and Frank nodded.

"It is," Frank agreed. "But we also have a murder case and this case and another personal case that we're working on, and everything hit at once. That's why Callie called you. She knew we might need some help, and she's probably right."

"So tell me about it," Nancy went on, and Frank did. Callie watched as they talked, and suddenly she saw why people must have assumed that Frank and Nancy had a relationship in the past. There was an ease in their manners as they spoke business; they seemed to be able to play off each other's knowledge, to predict questions before they were asked. They also almost mirrored each other's tone and seemed to create a small space in which they alone existed, completely on the same page as they spoke. But, watching them, Callie saw that it wasn't a flirtation, not at all, not now, despite what had happened in the past. Frank's hand never left hers, and he didn't gaze at Nancy the way he gazed at her.

Nancy turned to her after a while. "So, we have the mom- Amanda Madison, who was recently killed in a car crash. And we have the boyfriend, Doug Fuller. His prints match up to the envelope that you received at your nonprofit," Nancy said, taking out a notepad and jotting down notes. "Joe verified that the child exists and is real. You then received a second note at your house a few days ago. What did that one say?"

Callie sighed and reached into her purse, handing the note to Nancy. "Take a look."

As Nancy opened the envelope, she said, "While I'm sure this is from Fuller, get the prints on the envelope for protocol".

"That's the copy," Frank said. "The original will be at my house and I'll have it sent to the station for formal processing, naturally," he said. "This all just happened." Callie loved him for not telling Nancy that he had just found out about it as well.

"Okay," Nancy said. "The tone of this is serious and there's an increasing threat of action. If the pattern continues, you'll get a letter or contact each day. The local PD know this, I assume?"

Callie nodded.

"What did he say on the call you received?" Nancy queried.

Callie took a deep breath before answering, and she held tightly to Frank's hand. He hadn't heard this before, though she knew that Joe probably had. "He said I have until Sunday, and if I don't produce the money, he'll kill the baby… and then me."

"What?!" Frank asked, incredulous. "Callie?"

Callie shook her head, and Nancy politely ignored the awkward moment.

"Do you have a bank number for a deposit?" Nancy asked.

"No," Callie said quietly. "He wants all cash. He'll want a deposit spot, and he said he'll leave the baby there. I just don't know that location yet. I could find out later today. There are only three days left."

"Does your phone have a trace?" Nancy asked.

"As of today it does," Frank said, seriously, and she could tell that he was hurt that she hadn't told him.

"And even if it's a ruse, and it will be, is there a way you could get access to large amounts of cash?"

"Yes," Callie answered, resolutely, and Frank nodded, noting only, "if need be, Nancy. But we both know how these things go down."

"I know," Nancy replied, and Callie sighed inwardly, having no idea what they were talking about. She forced it out of her mind, knowing that they were both detectives, a life she was not a part of, a life that Frank and even Joe kept hidden from their families for their protection and sanity.

"I'll help," Nancy said, resolutely. "Of course. I'm going to research Doug Fuller. Frank, get a trace on Callie's cell phone and see if you can research the car accident that took Amanda Madison's life. Between the two of us, we can research Amanda's life. I know that you said that you're trying to find Fuller, and he can't have disappeared. Callie, please call me as soon as you're contacted again." She stood up. "I'm headed out to the conference again, but I will be in touch tonight. If I need to come to Bayport, I will. Don't worry, Callie," Nancy assured her. "Frank, Joe, and I will work together."

Waving goodbye, she left a few minutes later.

In silence, Frank and Callie headed back to the hotel, where they would be picking up their bags before heading back into Bayport. There, Frank would meet up with Joe again to get back to the murder case while ordering a trace on her cell phone.

Arriving at the hotel room, they collected their sparse belongings and packed up. Finally, Frank spoke. "You should have told me."

Callie looked up at him. "I know. You're right."

He walked to her, shaking his head. "I swear to you he will not hurt you."

"I know that, too," she replied. "I trust you."

"And he won't hurt the baby," Frank said. "These kinds of criminals don't do that… unless they're desperate and cornered. I will do my damndest not to let that happen."

"I know." She looked up at him. "And I'm sorry."

Frank seemed to hesitate for several moments. Finally, much to Callie's relief, he relaxed. "Okay."

"She's… she's pretty nice," Callie told him. "And she's smart. And she's… she's beautiful."

"And you see there is absolutely nothing there, right?" he asked her. Then, to her shock, he got a mischievous gleam in his eye, and he loosened his tie.

"I… yeah…" she began, not sure what Frank was up to.

He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Jealous?"

Callie's mouth fell open. "I can't believe you're joking about this," she managed.

He raised his brows at her. "Why not?" he asked. " _You_ know there's nothing. _I_ know there's nothing. And it's sexy as hell to pretend that you're a woman scorned and you need to fight for your man. Might as well flip ten years' worth of worry and turn it into ten years' worth of sexual tension that you just need to get out now."

Callie was breathless, caught between shock, amusement, and arousal. "You're kidding," she said in a low voice. "We have to catch the train in an hour."

"The station is only fifteen minutes away," he told her, still holding her immobile. "And I have a raincheck to cash, I believe."

Callie felt the color rush to her face. Frank was looking at her with such desire that she felt her own skin grow warm, and he had barely touched her. Suddenly, she smiled. Might as well have fun with it. "You're so right," she whispered, reaching up to finish taking off his tie.

"Oh?" Frank asked, surprised, but clearly liking the turn of events.

"Mmm," Callie responded. She loosened her arms and reached for the side of her dress. "Except that it's the man scorned, you, who has to prove to his woman that she's the real love of his life. He has to make her forget her competition. One… little… tug…" she told him, as she played with the tie of her dress, looking at him seductively, "and it all comes off. Or maybe," she whispered in his ear, "It all stays on." She met his eyes. "One woman. One man. One half hour to spare. What will he do to free her of the sexual tension of a decade? How much tension can he release in thirty minutes? Is he up for the challenge?"

"Challenge accepted," he answered, gruffly, and that was the last phrase he uttered as he pulled her into his arms.

Thirty minutes later, all traces of jealousy forgotten, Callie could only whisper, "Challenge won."


	20. Chapter 20

**Note:** _I am posting this chapter a few days early._ _Thank you to Hero76, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, HighFlyer, ErinJordan, max 2013, BMSH, hbndgirl, sm2003495, Drumboy100, Caranath, ChrisCorso, and candylou for your much appreciated reviews and feedback on the last chapter._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 20

Joe checked his watch and verified that he still had some time before meeting up with Frank in an hour or two at the station. He'd left the city close to three hours ago, leaving Callie and Frank to get together with Nancy, a reunion that he was dying to find out about. Still, meeting aside, he was glad that he had been honest with Frank about Callie's intentions. Though his brother had been startled to learn of Callie's planned meeting with Nancy, he had wanted to come along with him to see her. And, based on how much Frank and Callie had been separated lately, he had a feeling that they'd made the most of the overnight visit. Good- they both needed to loosen up and they both needed each other. He was glad to have spoken to them both, openly and directly.

Now, he found himself at Bayport General hoping to visit Pat. Jaclyn had called him late last night to tell him that Pat had regained consciousness, though he was still very weak. Apparently, he had asked for Joe after speaking with his family, who had stood vigil by his bedside since he'd been hurt.

Walking down the hallway to Pat's room, he saw Sean making his way to him. "Hey," Joe said, embracing Sean quickly before pulling back. "How's he doing?"

Sean let out a slow breath. "He's in and out," Sean told him. "When he's focused, he's asking about his injuries and we've all told him the bare minimum. I… I think he knows how serious they are, in terms of his career. But he hasn't directly asked anything yet. It's too much for him to process now, so we're keeping things light. I'm glad you could make it."

"Of course," Joe told him, patting his arm. "I want to see him, too. May I?"

"Go ahead," Sean responded, giving him a tired smile. "He just woke up. Jaclyn will be by in a little while, so he's all yours."

"Great," Joe told him.

"And Joe?" Sean asked, and Joe met his eyes. "Thanks, man. I… you saved him. That's my brother." His syntax reflected how tired he was, but Joe understood exactly what he meant.

"He's practically mine, too," Joe told him, gently. "Go get some rest. I've got him."

With a small smile and a quick nod, Sean turned away from Joe and exited down the hallway.

Less than a minute later, Joe knocked on the door to Pat's room before entering. When he did enter the room, he was happy to see that Pat was sitting in a reclined position in the bed, and that he was awake. Joe approached him and stood next to the bed, smiling at him.

Pat was very pale and his left shoulder was completely wrapped in thick white bandages. The outline of bulky bandages could be clearly seen under his hospital gown as well.

"I'd give you a hug, man," Joe joked softly, "but I'm afraid I'd hurt you." He sat down on the chair next to Pat's bed.

Pat eyed him and laughed softly. "You're not that strong."

Joe smiled back and squeezed Pat's hand for a moment. "I'm glad you're okay, bro," he said, trying to keep his tone light. "Next time take backup."

"Sometimes you gotta take one for the team," Pat joked back, weakly. "For once you managed not to get _your_ ass shot, though. That's an improvement."

Joe rolled his eyes.

Pat looked at him, suddenly serious, and Joe could tell he was in pain as he then clenched his eyes shut for a minute. With no hesitation, Joe reached for his hand again and held it tightly. When Pat opened his eyes again, Joe could see he was fighting tears.

"This sucks," he choked out.

"I know," Joe replied, serious now.

"They don't know how long my recovery will be," he said in a low voice, blinking back tears. "It could be months. The wedding… and honeymoon…"

"Will be great, and you will be there," Joe said adamantly.

"Come on, Joe," Pat managed, his voice tight. "Don't bullshit me. I know the deal. And no one wants to tell me that this could be it. My career could be over. What would I do?" His lips quivered a bit.

Joe's heart ached for him, and he squeezed Pat's hand tightly. "I'm not bullshitting you," he told him, looking right into Pat's eyes. "You WILL be at your wedding, and I know it, because Sean and I and all of your friends will make sure it happens. And you will NOT let this be it for your job. I know you, Pat. You're a fighter. You're a cop, born and bred, and I don't care what anyone tells you- you'll be back. I know it."

"You think so?" Pat asked, and Joe could tell he really needed to hear the words.

"Yes, I do," Joe told him sincerely. "Besides," he said, trying to lighten the mood, "I need a partner on the force who's willing to break every rule with me. We have to keep Collig guessing which one of us broke protocol and will get a discipline slip or our asses kicked. It's much more fun to play it that way."

Pat finally smiled a bit. "Collig," he replied, with a small laugh, "is going to jam you up good on this one."

Joe smiled back. "It was worth it to make sure my friend was okay."

Pat's eyes became watery again, and Joe's did the same. Pat waved him towards him with his good arm. "Try not to crush me with your bulging muscles, idiot," he palely joked as Joe leaned over and hugged him tightly, careful not to hurt him. It was several minutes before they let go, both of them wiping at their eyes.

"I love you, bro," Pat told him. "Thank you."

"Love you, too," Joe told him.

"Well, this is great," Pat managed, sitting back again weakly. "Jaclyn is going to come up here and see us crying and then what am I going to tell her?" he asked.

"You could tell her I was overcome by your sexiness in a hospital gown," Joe kidded him, still wiping his own eyes. "And you were overcome by my sexiness, too, as you are at all times."

"At least make it believable on my part," Pat quipped, and Joe laughed in spite of himself.

"So tell me about the case," Pat went on. "I need something to distract me."

Joe raised his brows. "You sure you're up for it?" Joe asked. "You look like hell."

"Dude, I got shot," Pat replied. "What's your excuse?"

Joe smiled. Seeing Pat at least joking around a little and able to converse coherently despite his obvious pain and worry was comforting and a step in the right direction.

"Well, the upshot is the Frank interviewed Wright, since he was afraid I might kill him," Joe began, and watched as Pat grinned weakly. "Wright claims that he killed Tanya Griffin, but-get this- he says her mom, Maura, paid him off to do it. He claims he has Maura's gun as proof. So Frank and I went to her house and she was acting strange- you know how she is, kind of trash talking her dead daughter. Anyway, he was right at least that there was a missing gun at her house. Then one of the cops took her down to the station for further interviews. That's where we stand."

"You know, I meant to tell you a few things," Pat started. "That night you came with me, and all this went down, I had been doing some research on the family, and it's a little crazy. It might help."

"Do tell," Joe told him, but he saw that Pat was struggling to stay awake. "You know what?" Joe asked him. "Let me call Frank and I'll have him meet me here instead of the station. Why don't you rest and then we'll all talk. Wright's going away for life for attempted murder on you- Frank got that confession. He also confessed to Tanya's murder. But let's compare notes when he gets here and you'll be more clear-headed and focused. Is that okay?"

Pat was able to mutter "yeah," before his heavy eyes closed in sleep.

Joe looked at his dear friend and thanked god that he was okay for now, and prayed that he would be in the future. He was looking forward to wrapping this case up, as there were many more cases to deal with. But he needed resolution here for all of them, especially for Pat.

With a yawn, he took out his phone, texting Vanessa, Biff, and Frank, in that order, and asking Frank to meet him as soon as possible at the hospital. Then, with nothing but time to kill, he closed his eyes, and soon slipped into a restless sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joe woke to the sound of his phone buzzing. He soon set his bleary eyes upon an attractive brunette who was sitting beside a still sleeping Pat.

"Hey Jaclyn," he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes. "Sorry. Guess I fell asleep."

She smiled at him. "Of course you did. You're exhausted. I'm here now if you want to go home."

Joe looked at his phone, noting that Frank had texted to meet him in the lobby. He focused on her again as he stood and stretched. "Nah," he quipped as he walked to her, leaned down to kiss her cheek, and yawned. "I'll be back. Pat wanted to talk about the case, believe it or not. I'm going to meet up with Frank for a little while downstairs and then we'll both be back up. Is that okay? I don't want to interfere with your plans."

"Sitting with Pat, maybe watching some tv, and reading _People_ is about as exciting as it gets, babe," she teased him. "Go see Frank. Come on back whenever you'd like."

Joe nodded and squeezed her shoulder before leaving, grateful that Pat had such a great fiancee for support. Jaclyn was strong, relaxed, and every bit as sassy as Pat was. They were a great match, and he would need her a lot in the coming months. He shook his head as he walked to the elevator, thinking about the women he knew, the spouses or close friends of everyone in his inner circle. They were all like that, especially Callie, followed closely by Vanessa and his mom. They spoke their truths; they were loyal and funny and very smart. Although they all had different personalities, that strength was woven among them all, and he felt himself fortunate to have them all in his life, in one way or another.

Reaching the lobby, he caught sight of his brother sitting in the far corner. He stood when Joe approached.

Joe was surprised when Frank embraced him tightly when he reached him. "Thank you," Frank told him, softly. "Thank you so much." He pulled away a minute later.

Joe smiled and sat across from him. "I take it last night went well?" he asked.

"It was great," Frank told him, returning the grin. "It was perfect and amazing and really, truly necessary."

Joe laughed softly, so happy that Frank looked happy, himself: rested, at peace, and open, sharing his thoughts and feelings again.

"So," Joe teased him, "I take it you followed my advice and had lots of hot sex. It's clears the mind."

As usual, Frank blushed and Joe laughed. But then Frank let out a chuckle. "It certainly doesn't hurt," he said, and Joe burst out laughing again, surprised by Frank's candor.

"Good for you, man," Joe said when he caught his breath. "In all seriousness, you need to make time for each other. Let's face it- you and Callie aren't the most laid back people in the world. You tend to get caught up in the little things and focus on everyone other than yourselves. Don't get me wrong," Joe added. "I love that about you. But really- Van and I make time for ourselves and each other. If we're happy, Evan is happy- everyone is more relaxed. You both have so much… baggage… I guess. Go easy on each other and yourselves," Joe told him, serious now, and sitting up to face Frank. "I have never seen two people who love each other more than the two of you. Tell her and everyone how you feel all the time, bro, because we're not promised tomorrow. Life doesn't need so much questioning all the time. Accept what happens and roll with the punches. You'll be so much happier, and you deserve that."

Frank smiled at him after a minute. "I don't know when you became the sage older brother, Joe, but thank you."

Joe chuckled. "Please. You're the role model forever and I'm the pain in the ass, always in trouble kid brother. Know your place."

Frank nodded, touched.

"I love you a lot, Frank," Joe told him, seriously. "And I have no problem telling you that. Thanks for relying on me a little bit this time and letting me in and letting me help you for once."

"Thank you for being there for me," Frank told him, softly.

"How did the meeting with Nancy go?" Joe asked, changing the subject. He smirked. "Please tell me that she somehow is old and ugly and gained 300 pounds. Callie would have loved that."

Frank laughed. "Absolutely. She was offensive to be around and look at."

"Really?" Joe asked, surprised.

"No," Frank answered, still chuckling. He soon grew serious. "No, she's as smart and nice and action- oriented as always, and she offered to help." When Joe raised his brows and squinted his eyes, Frank sighed reluctantly. "And yes, she's still attractive."

Joe snorted. "Drop dead gorgeous or smoking hot is probably more accurate," he answered. "Bet Cal loved that."

Frank held up a hand. "Stop," he told him. "Callie was very brave to reach out to Nancy. And if you ask me, Callie is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. So knock it off."

Joe did stop, struck again by how protective his brother was of Callie. "Hey," he reminded him, "I know all of that. I was kidding."

Frank hesitated for a moment, and Joe saw it. When he spoke, he shocked Joe with his painful, raw words. "You asked me to be honest with you," Frank told him, eyes never leaving his. "Callie no longer has the problem with Nancy- I do. I DID," he corrected. "Callie did this for me, even more than to ask for help finding John's daughter, though that's paramount to her. You see," Frank went on, his voice shaking slightly, "I always blamed myself for what happened to Callie. I cheated on her with Nancy a long time ago. She broke up with me. She moved on. And, four months later, she was brutally raped, and that's putting what happened to her mildly." His eyes shone with tears. "If I hadn't been such a selfish asshole, she probably would have been with me, and this never would have happened to her. So she contacted Nancy so that I could try to deal with my own guilt, and not once - not ONCE- did she hesitate to do so because she was still insecure about Nancy. She's that strong. That's why I can't joke about this one thing- not now, not ever. And while it's been ten years, Joe, to me...that burden of guilt hasn't lessened at all. I'm trying to work through it, but I don't know if I ever will. Only John understood that, you know, because he WAS THERE."

Joe felt his own eyes burn. Frank had never, ever been so emotionally vulnerable, so raw, and he was speechless.

"That's why how I reacted to John's news was far worse than I even told you," Frank went on, voice tight. "Because he was my closest friend and he was the only person who knew the horror of what happened to my wife… all of it. And so, I was a selfish asshole again. And I'm trying to forgive myself, because Callie has, somehow. I'm sorry," he said at last, voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to unload all of that on you right now."

Finally, Joe sat forward and then he stood. Frank did the same. He could say a million things, but he knew Frank well, and he was humbled by the fact that Frank had shared so much. He looked into Frank's eyes and said, simply, "Well, you have ME now, and I happen to think you're not a selfish asshole. Just give me some time to help you believe that about yourself." He kissed his brother's cheek, something he almost never did, and slung an arm around his shoulders. "Come on," he encouraged him. "Let's talk to Pat and start moving forward with everything. We're a team, _always,_ Frank. Okay?"

Frank nodded and looked down. "Okay," he agreed softly, and Joe just hugged him across his shoulders.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once back upstairs, the Hardys found Pat, once again, sitting up in bed. Jaclyn, upon seeing them, smiled. She rose, kissed Pat quickly, and stood to leave. "Take care of him," she whispered to Joe, who nodded subtly.

"Hey," Frank said to Pat as Jaclyn spoke softly to Joe. "Good to see you, Pat. How are you feeling?"

Pat weakly looked up at him. "I may have to put off the marathon for a week or so," he responded, and Frank laughed softly. Joe and his friends- they never took anything seriously. He was starting to think that maybe they had the right idea. It was better to laugh than to cry, after all.

"Maybe even _two_ weeks," Frank responded, dryly. "You don't want to push too hard and injure yourself worse."

Pat grinned. "I guess the schedule could use some adjusting. How are you?"

"Me?" Frank asked, surprised. "I'm good. You're okay, Joe's okay. Not too much to complain about… and what good would it do anyway, right?"

Pat nodded. "I know you're dealing with your own cases right now," he told Frank. "But I wanted to say thanks. Jaclyn told me that Vanessa and Callie were great when I got hurt. You've got a good girl," he told Frank, eyes still weary.

"So do you," Frank replied. "And we're all here for both of you."

Pat nodded, smiling palely.

Joe walked over and sat in the chair that Jaclyn had previously occupied.

"Jaclyn? Did you just get real ugly?" Pat joked lightly.

"Aw. Are you fantasizing about me again?" Joe replied, grinning.

Frank shook his head and folded his arms. "Guys," he cut in, "didn't you want to discuss the case?"

"Yeah, Joe, settle down," Pat answered with a small grin.

"I'll try," Joe responded lightly. "So you said that you had some info. If you're up for it, we'd love to hear it. We need to get this guy behind bars on both cases, which shouldn't be an issue, but do you know something about Maura Griffin? She's an odd one."

"Her husband isn't Tanya's father," Pat told them. "That's for starters."

"Yeah, I got that in the second interview I told you about," Joe told him.

"I did some interviews with friends of the family, neighbors, things like that," Pat started. He was quiet suddenly, looking around, unfocused.

Joe fought panic until he felt Frank's hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. "It's the drugs," Frank said softly. "Those pain meds are strong."

"Pat?" Frank asked him, redirecting.

Finally, Pat blinked a few times. "What? I… wow," he apologized. "I just…"

"No problem," Frank told him, easily. "Just go on. You were saying that you interviewed Griffin's neighbors and…?"

"Oh yeah," Pat answered. "Yeah. Sorry. So I found out some weird shit. Do with it what you will."

"Go ahead," Joe encouraged him.

"You know that drive- by Tanya was involved in?" Pat asked.

"You said that she had a bond on her head," Joe replied.

"Yeah, like $100,000," Pat said, and Frank let out a low whistle.

"That's because she'd been in trouble with the law before," Joe mused. "You know that's not typical."

"Well," Pat went on after a minute, "one of the nosy neighbors- Coombs is the last name- said that word on the street was that Tanya was getting ready to skip town. If she did that, then the parents would be responsible for the money."

"Hmmm," Frank intoned. "There would be some possible motive. Still… hire someone to kill your own child? That's… unimaginable."

"It gets worse," Pat went on, trying to concentrate. "There was some rumor that she was sleeping with the stepdad."

"Ugh," Joe made a disgusted face. "You're joking."

"Who the hell knows if it's true," Pat answered. "But I thought it was important to tell you that."

"It is," Frank told him. "I wonder… I know it's twisted, to say the least, but if Maura was worried she would be responsible for the bail, and she thought that Tanya was sleeping with her husband, that actually is pretty strong motive. I mean, from everything Joe told me based on his own research and interviews, Maura was a pretty upstanding citizen in a middle class neighborhood. Once she lost her other child, Tanya went wild, and Maura could perceive that as having brought shame to her family."

"I think she mentioned that she would never get the retirement home she'd always dreamed of," Joe added, thinking. "That's actually more fuel for the fire. She didn't seem to like her daughter much, which is pretty pathetic. It's like once Tanya got into trouble and drinking and drugs, she was turned away."

"So what does she get if she hired Wright?" Pat asked, wearily.

"Sadly, not much," Frank answered. "It's not like she would get much, if any, life insurance. I'm sure Tanya had none. What she would get would be assurance that her daughter would cause no more issues, and maybe… sympathy. Yeah- she could turn the shame into sympathy and try to get her life back." He shuddered. "God, that's sick."

"Well," Joe went on, "yes. So we have motive, opportunity, and means. What we don't have is the murder weapon or the proof of payment to Wright."

"That can be pretty easily found, if money was transferred," Frank replied. "But you're right- where's the weapon? I guess Wright would know that. What did you find on him?"

"He was the last person Tanya spoke to," Joe went on. "And I found out that they met up at a gas station; there's actual video surveillance. All of this was pretty compelling evidence to bring him in for questioning, which we would have done, had he not tried to kill Pat and me."

"Sound like we need to take a ride again to see Maura," Frank said, matter of fact. "I'll call the station and make sure she was returned home."

"If she was," Joe interjected, "and she was questioned, even a little, about this, then that could make her nervous. And nervous people do stupid things." He met Frank's eyes. "Ready to go and pick her up? We'll have Collig send an officer or two to meet us again, and we can fill him in on why as we're headed there."

"Be careful," Pat managed, losing the fight to stay awake. "I don't need hospital room mates."

"We will," Joe assured him, reaching over to squeeze his hand quickly. "And we'll be in touch." Before he could finish, Pat had fallen asleep.

"Ready?" Joe asked Frank, who nodded.

"Let's do it," Frank nodded. "For Pat."

Resolved, the brothers headed out together, not knowing what would lie in wait, but having the confidence that they could take it on, together.


	21. Chapter 21

**Note:** _Thank you to everyone who has read, Followed, or added this story to Favorites. A very special thank you to those who take the time to review. I always look forward to seeing what you have to say! For your feedback on the last chapter, many thanks to hbndgirl, Erin Jordan, Ella Tremaine, EvergreenDreamweaver, ChrisCorso, candylou, Max 2013, Paulina Ann, sm2003495, Caranath, BMSH, and Drumboy100. Oh- and a big Happy 454th Birthday to William Shakespeare today!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 21

"Are you sure you're not mad at me?" Vanessa asked Callie again as she kissed Laurie on the top of her head.

"No, I'm not mad, Van," Callie responded, feeding Evan his bottle. "Actually, I'm happy. You did the right thing. I needed Frank to be with me at the meeting, and Joe knew exactly what to say to me and to my husband to get us focused. I'm just glad to be here now with you and the babies," she responded. Smiling at Evan, she scrunched her nose. "Isn't Aunt Callie happy to be with you?" she asked him in a sing-song voice, and he started laughing as the bottle's nipple came out of his mouth.

Callie continued to tickle him as he laughed. "He's such a gorgeous little guy," she said to Vanessa, still looking at her nephew. "I still can't tell who he looks like."

Vanessa sat across from Callie at her kitchen table and bounced Laurie on her knee. "I don't know," Vanessa answered, smiling. "I guess we'll have to see. JJ looks exactly like Frank, but he has your nose and eye shape," Vanessa went on idly. "And little Miss Laurie here is a peanut. She'll probably be petite like you. You took to motherhood so easily," Vanessa added, quietly.

Callie looked at her. "What do you mean? You're a great mom, Van."

Vanessa paused for a moment. "Cal, I love being a mom. I do. But I'm tired all the time and I want to sleep and sometimes it gets so hard, you know?" she confessed. "I want to feel sexy again and wear lingerie instead of, like, yoga pants. I don't know how I'll handle two. I'm kind of scared I'll be overwhelmed."

Callie nooded sympathetically. "Honey, it IS hard. It's the hardest thing in the world, because being a parent is the one thing you can't mess up." She reached for Vanessa's hand quickly as she secured Evan in her other arm. "But you have help. Raising a child is a team effort, and we are so, so fortunate to have husbands who are involved. So many men aren't. It's sad, but it's the truth."

"I guess," Vanessa agreed. "How do you do it? You make it look so effortless."

"Van, sometimes I am so tired I almost fall asleep standing up. I drink way too much coffee. And I rely on my parents and Laura a lot," Callie began. "Truthfully," she went on, feeling a slight blush come to her skin, "I… I had a tremendous amount of medical problems when…. I was younger," she said, leaving it at that. "I was told I couldn't have kids, and it was crushing to me. So, when I DID get pregnant with JJ, I tried to treasure every minute. And, as you know, Laurie was a HUGE surprise." She smiled softly. "I had horrible pregnancies and another one would literally kill me, but I miss feeling a life inside of me." She blinked back tears. "And even though I have no idea how I would or could handle more than two… I ache for it."

"I'm sorry, Cal," Vanessa told her, compassionately.

"No, don't be," she told her. "But you and Joe need to do what's right for you. NO ONE thinks being a mom is easy, trust me. If they do, they're doing it wrong. I'm no exception." She chuckled quietly. "And Evan is easy- peasy. So is Laurie. This little guy," she said, nodding to JJ, "is a wild man. He's all Joe's personality! No idea where that came from. But don't worry. I'll be here to help you, and so will your mom and Laura and your friends. We all love you."

"Thanks, Callie," Vanessa replied, letting go of her hand.

Callie looked into Vanessa's blue-gray eyes. JJ was trying to color at the table but was staying right by her side, as he always did. "This feels right, you know?" Callie said softy. "God, Van. I feel so lucky to have my babies. And you and Joe are the siblings I never had. How lucky are we that our kids will grow up together and that we all have each other? I just… I just pray that Johnny's daughter will be okay, Van. She has to be."

Vanessa nodded. "I know, Cal. Have faith. It's so unbelievable that Johnny had a daughter in the first place. I still can't believe it. I can tell how much you miss him," Vanessa finished.

"Every day," Callie answered. "My heart hurts without him," she went on, softly. "The idea that he might live on through a child is consuming me. I need to find her; to help her. It's the very least I can do for him."

"I understand," Vanessa replied. "I do. But you said that Nancy offered to help? That she was actually pretty on top of it?" Vanessa laughed softly. "I still can't believe that you contacted her. I legitimately am still in shock."

"If she can help, of course I would contact her, and...Frank and I needed to put it in the past," she finished, uncertain. "I think we can do that now." Callie smiled ruefully. "I mean, I would have been a little happier if she wasn't so damned gorgeous," she admitted.

Vanessa shook her head."YOU are gorgeous," she replied, adamantly.

Callie laughed. "And YOU are blinded by best girlfriend loyalty," she joked back. "But thanks anyway."

"I'm serious!" Vanessa adamantly replied. "And your husband can't take his hands off you, so I don't think you have anything to worry about."

"I'm not worried," Callie answered, honestly. "But she is MORE than pretty. I'm okay with it- I have no choice. And as far as husbands who can't take their hands off people, need I mention Joe?"

Vanessa placed a hand on her stomach as she cradled the now sleepy Laurie against her. "It's so important to have a smoking hot…"

"JJ!" Callie interjected, cutting Vanessa off. He looked up, having paid no attention to their conversation, and Callie said to him, "what a great picture, honey!"

"It for daddy," JJ said simply, as Vanessa tried not to laugh, realizing the subject she was about to have brought up. He went back to coloring intently.

Callie shot her a look.

"Sorry," Vanessa mouthed, as Callie rolled her eyes.

"You two are so much alike," Callie told her.

"I know," Vanessa agreed. "What's weird is that you and Frank are, too… with some things. In other areas, you're way more like Joe. And, believe it or not, Frank and I have quite a few things in common."

"I know you do,"Callie responded. "And I'm glad that you've become a lot closer."

"Me, too," Vanessa acknowledged. "I just want us all to be okay," she told Callie, who looked at her quizzically. "I want you to find John's daughter and to be able to raise her, if that's what you and Frank decide you want to do. I want your contact with Nancy Drew to be positive and not to cause a strain in your relationship with Frank. I want a healthy pregnancy and … and a resolution to my dad's past, and I'm scared, to be honest with you. I'm scared it's bad. And I know it wouldn't be my fault- I GET that, finally, thanks to Joe- but still… I want my daddy to have been a good man." She blinked back tears.

Callie stood with Evan, walked to Vanessa, and wrapped her free arm around her from behind. "He certainly gave good genes to his daughter, who is the most loyal, amazing woman I know." She kissed Vanessa's cheek. "I love you, girl, and I'm here for you."

Vanessa hugged Callie's one arm for a moment. "Come on," she said at last. "I'm a mommy first, but I'm also kick- ass computer vixen second. Let's see if we can't help out Nancy with this research and get baby Hope back here." She stood with Laurie.

"Really?" Callie asked."You can hack files?" she asked.

Vanessa laughed. "I prefer to think of it as _data_ _analysis_ ," she said with a smile.

'Okay, kiss-ass computer vixen," Callie answered, eyes twinkling. "Let's do it." She looked down at her phone, which had just started buzzing. "And Nancy said that she has some info and asked if she could meet me later tonight."

"Okay," Vanessa replied neutrally. "Tell her yes. Let's see if we can work together and get that baby home… for Johnny."

"For Johnny," Callie echoed, and she smiled. Finally, maybe luck would be on their side.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"The cops should be here in about 15 minutes," Joe said to his brother. "Want to wait?"

Frank smiled and raised a brow at him. "Hang on. YOU are suggesting that we wait and I'm the one who's ready to go ahead? What's wrong with the world?"

"Maybe there's hope for you yet," Joe replied back, hand on the door.

"Perhaps," Frank answered, smiling. "Anyway, we've been here before. You have cuffs. The police are informed about it. I'm sure we'll be fine."

"Not as if I'll tell you to wait," Joe replied, getting out of the car. "Listen, bro, I've meant to bring this up, but you have to let me drive more often. I have no problem being chauffeured once in awhile, but, I mean, I drive over 40 miles per hour."

"Fine," Frank agreed. "When you're willing to take your own car and rack up the miles on that, I'm okay with it. Or, I could drive you in the minivan. I'm sure you'd love that."

"Ha ha," Joe responded dryly. "Why don't you just let me drive your car?" he countered.

"You're joking," Frank answered, shaking his head as they knocked on the Griffin's front door.

As soon as Frank knocked, though, the door squeaked open, and he was on instant alert. He reached for his gun, simultaneously noting that Joe had done the same.

"Maura?" Joe called out. "You in there?"

Silence.

"I'm going in," Joe said to Frank, who nodded and pointed at the side of the house to indicate where he'd be going, and they separated.

"Maura? Mr. Griffin?" Joe yelled. "Come to the front of the house by the door if you're here."

When no one came, Joe began a methodical search of the house, which produced nothing. It seemed to be empty. Then, he remembered suddenly that the Grffins had a gun cabinet and he hurried to it, noting at once that it appeared to be missing several weapons.

"Frank, be careful," Joe said into the walkie talkie he and Frank always wore on cases. "Weapons are missing from the cabinet. House is clear."

"10-4," Frank replied. "I'm out back. Car is in the driveway. They've got to be here."

Joe cautiously made his way outside, sighing when he noticed for the first time the expansive property across from and adjacent to the house. He hadn't paid attention before, but he sure as hell was paying attention now. It was too quiet… too empty. He didn't like the fact that he wasn't exactly sure where Frank was, either. "Out back" was a huge area.

Before he had time to contemplate it further, he heard a shotgun blast and jumped as the dirt in front of him went flying into the air. He whirled around and saw a rifle aimed at him by Griffin's stepdad. The second shot he unleashed let Joe know he wasn't playing.

Joe had a split second to make the decision. He could fire back at the guy or he could rush him, and he opted for the latter option, since the rifle was now being aimed at his chest. He dodged quickly to throw the focus off him and to make it more difficult to get an accurate shot off, and threw himself at his assailant in the best football tackle he could manage. They crashed down as the rifle went off, barely missing him again.

Time seemed to lose meaning as he and Griffin engaged in an old-fashioned fistfight. For a man near fifty, Griffin was remarkably strong and agile, but Joe knew that he was in much better shape, and his age was working in his favor. Just as he was about to overpower Griffin, Griffin managed to get one arm loose, and the next thing Joe knew, his eyes were on fire.

He started choking and gasping for air as his eyes teared over and burned badly. It took only a second for him to realize that he'd been pepper sprayed. As badly as it hurt, what was worse was how disorienting everything was. He couldn't defend himself against the blow to the face he felt, and, worse, he knew he had to get to the rifle before Griffin did.

He was gasping for breath, trying to blindly wrestle Griffin to keep him away from the gun. In the distance, he heard sirens.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Frank heard the commotion before he saw it; heard the sound of gunshots and yelling. He practically flew across the property to see Griffin reaching for a rife to aim it at Joe, who, for some reason, was flailing and half- covering his face. He took out his gun as he ran, hoping to get a clear shot at Griffin, but no such luck. He could fire at this range; he'd always been an excellent shot. But they were both moving and struggling and chances were good he could hit his brother instead of Griffin, and he sure as hell wasn't going to risk that.

He could get there. It was maybe 80 yards away. But he saw Griffin had reached for the gun and finally was able to aim it. And then, in either the best or worst stroke of luck of his life, Griffin got distracted when the family truck, driven by Maura, burst out of the backyard and started speeding towards her husband, presumably to pick him up and drive away.

The problem was, she was headed right for Joe at the same time.

Frank was fast, but he couldn't outrun a car. Seeing Joe stumbling backwards, though, he knew damned well that he was going to have to try.

It all happened so fast. He ran and fired at Griffin, hitting his mark… somewhere. He could see that much at least. And then he dropped the glock and, with only moments to spare, reached Joe, and shoved his brother harder than he had ever done in his life, pushing him out of the way of the careening vehicle.

Joe was safe.

That was the last conscious thought he had as the swerving truck sideswiped him and he felt absolutely crushing pain as he flew into the windshield, then through the air, and, finally, crashed to the ground, motionless.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Note:** Thank you to everyone who has read, Followed, or added this story to Favorites. A very special thank you to those who take the time to review. I always look forward to seeing what you have to say! For your feedback on the last chapter, many thanks to CincyDreamer, Drumboy100, HighFlyer, hlahabibty, ChrisCorso, Paulina Ann, Ritu, hbndgirl, max 2013, BMSH, EvergreenDreamweaver, candylou, sm2003495, Erin Jordan, Caranath, BeeBee18, and rebeccareneesharplake. Hope you enjoy this transition chapter..._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 22

Frank forced his eyes open and groaned immediately. His head was pounding and he knew he was in the hospital emergency room. He'd been there enough times in his life to practically have had his own bed.

"He's awake," he heard someone say, though he wished the voice would just be quiet. He wanted to fade off into nothingness.

He felt the whir of people around him, probably doctors or nurses, knew the feel of the stethoscope against his chest. He just didn't care.

"Frank. Come on, bro. Wake up, please." _Oh, God. It was Joe_. If it was almost anyone else, he would have pretended to be out, as he wanted to be, but he couldn't do it when he heard the fear in his brother's voice.

Using every bit of energy he had, he forced open his eyes and tried to focus.

He saw Joe staring at him, felt him holding his hand. When he could finally concentrate, even a bit, he saw how swollen Joe's eyes were. "Don't cry," he managed to mumble. "I'm okay." He had no idea if that was even true, but instinctively he needed to make Joe feel better.

"You know, I'm not actually crying," Joe told him, lightly, though Joe's hand remained holding his securely. "I was pepper sprayed."

"Sure," Frank muttered, starting to close his eyes again.

He heard a small laugh escape Joe's mouth. "I WAS pepper sprayed, you know. Come on," he went on, quieting his voice. "You need to stay awake."

"Mmmm," Frank muttered. Then, his eyes flew open. "Wh… what happened?" he asked, panicked all of a sudden. He went to sit up and cried out in pain that was so sharp it brought tears to his eyes and made him dizzy.

"Shh," Joe told him as a doctor stood vigil beside him, observing. "Don't move. You're hurt."

Seeing Frank's fear and confusion, Joe rubbed his hand. "We went to the Griffins. Long story short, you prevented me from being killed by pushing me out of the way of Maura Griffin trying to run me down. Good shove, too- if you weren't such a great quarterback, you could have been a tackle." Seeing the look of pain on Frank's face, Joe touched his cheek for a moment. "It's okay, Frank. You'll be okay. You were sideswiped by the car and you got hurt pretty bad, but you'll be okay." He was repeating himself, fumbling over his words.

Frank forced himself to focus, though every fiber of his body was screaming out in agony. "Did they get her?" he mumbled.

Joe smiled at him. "Yup," he said. "You got a shot off and hit the husband in the arm. He made it into the truck and they drove away, but the cops nabbed them like ten minutes later. They're in custody."

"Why?" Frank managed.

"They're jackasses," Joe replied, angrily, still scared for Frank and the close call he had. "They knew the cops were onto them and they fled. We got them both. Wright will sing like a canary when he's questioned about the weapon- I'm sure of it. I think Griffin was actually protecting Maura when he found out what she had done. Now they're both going to go away for a very long time."

"Good," Frank mumbled, weakly. "I gotta get out of here."

Joe laughed. "I don't think so."

Frank looked around and tried to process everything. "I want to go home." It was very hard to talk.

"Yeah, well, I want a million bucks, and that ain't happening, either," Joe said, surprised by Frank's stubbornness.

"Does Callie know?" Frank asked, grimacing as he went to raise his left hand to cover his eyes, inhaling sharply when pain prevented him from doing so.

"Yeah, of course she knows," Joe answered, exasperated. "I told her that you're okay, but to stay put at home until I had an update so she could figure out what to do with the kids. I think your in laws are on the way over, and Vanessa is still with her. I THINK Nancy might even be there. Will you stop it? You're going to be here a few days as soon as they can get you settled into a room."

"The hell I am," Frank grumbled. "I have work to do."

Joe couldn't believe it. Truth be told, though he hadn't been crying, he wanted to. Frank had come infinitesimally close to dying, and he wanted to revert to his little kid self and hold onto his big brother as tightly as he could. Frank had almost died protecting him; had saved his life.

"No," Joe countered.

"Perhaps I can address the question," a voice cut in. Dr. Lofton, an experienced trauma surgeon and emergency room doctor whom the Hardys had grown to know quite well over the years, was standing on the opposite side of Frank. In his late forties, he was a laid back, genuinely nice guy who knew his stuff, and he was the go -to for them whenever he could be.

"Talk some sense into him, Dr. L," Joe said.

Lofton shook his head. "You know the deal, Frank. Sometimes I can let you go home. This is not one of those times. You have some major injuries and you need to be observed, and you're going to need testing and surgery- no doubt about it."

"Good enough," Joe said at the same time Frank said, "No."

Lofton looked serious for once, and that was enough to make Joe worried. Lofton spoke up. "Frank, you have a bad concussion and it's not your first one. I have to do an MRI to check the swelling and make sure there's no intracranial bleeding. Might I add that you look like a damned mess and you required too many stitches to count to your forehead and the left side of your face. Your cuts were pretty bad- you hit the windshield- and we had to clean them out well. You had a ton of glass in there and there's a risk of infection. Believe me, you won't want to be up and about for several days."

"Do the MRI," Frank answered, words slightly slurred, "and then I'm going."

Joe's mouth fell open and Lofton shook his head. "Frank, I'm going to be clear here. YOU ARE NOT LEAVING. You were slammed by a truck and you were hit hard on your left side. You're damned lucky to have two broken ribs that I can even see and your spleen is injured. I'm very worried that you could start internally bleeding if it ruptures, and it might. You dislocated your shoulder, and I snapped that back into place, but it's going to hurt like hell and you're going to need follow up appointments to make sure nothing else is wrong in there. You have a badly bruised hip, a sprained ankle, and one of the worst knee injuries I have seen in a long time. You ruptured your meniscus and shredded your ACL, and you fractured your patella. In layman's terms, it's about as bad as it gets, and you will need surgery, which I'm scheduling for tomorrow. It may be the first of several. Oh, and recovery, with physical therapy, will take a good six to nine months. You're hurt, my friend- badly."

Joe felt the color drain from his face and Dr. Lofton squeezed his shoulder in comfort as Frank looked away and closed his eyes. "It's bad, Joe," Lofton said honestly and quietly, so Frank wouldn't hear him. "He WILL be okay, but the recovery will be long and hard, and I know he's tough, but some of these injuries are going to cause him really excruciating pain. He needs to accept that he'll be here for several days, and then it's no day at the beach at home, either. He'll need a lot of help. Thank god he lived. I'll call his wife- Callie, right?- her number is on file, and tell her exactly what I told you. She should be here."

"Thank you," Joe said, nodding, as Lofton left the room. He knew he needed a plan to deal with Callie and Vanessa and Nancy; his own parents; the kids; the cases. But, he'd be damned if he could think of anything except being with Frank right now and how close they had both come to dying. The thought of Frank's injuries made him sick, and he wished he could take the pain away somehow. He knew all the unanswered calls he had, and he would get to them. Right now, Frank was priority #1.

But perhaps the worst thing of all was the fact that, when he turned around, Frank was crying. His unflappable, tough as nails, hold it all inside brother was crying, and Joe's heart broke.

"I promised her," he sobbed softly as he again tried to cover his face with his free hand, but his injured shoulder limited his mobility. "I promised Callie that I would get Hope. I…" His voice cut out, and Joe could tell the effort to talk and breathe and his exhaustion and trauma were overwhelming him. Joe knew as soon as the shock wore off, the physical pain would be close to unbearable despite the medication he would be given.

"I will find her," Joe told him, conviction in his voice. "I swear to God I will. I will work with Nancy and Collig and Dad. Please don't worry. I will find out about the Santitori case, too. And..." he added, squeezing Frank's hand as hard as he could, "I'll take care of Callie." He knew instinctively that Frank would want to get himself together, have some grip on the extent of his injuries and some answers for her, before he would want to see her. Frank's need had been to protect Callie always, and now was no exception. Joe knew he could handle that.

Within minutes, Frank had slipped back into unconsciousness.

Joe took several shaky breaths as he released Frank's hand. Then, he too, allowed himself to cry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Two hours later, Joe caught sight of Callie, who had just arrived and was making her way to Frank's new room for the next few days. Fenton and Laura were sitting by his bed as he continued to sleep.

Callie approached him and, wordlessly, slipped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest as she held him tightly. Joe returned the hug, grateful for the physical support in this nightmare of a day.

After a few minutes, she let go and, reaching for his hand, led him to a small waiting area down the hall. "How are you?" she asked him as they finally found a private moment to talk.

Shocked, he could only look at her, a thousand emotions whirling in his mind all at once. She looked tired, concerned… but okay. He almost couldn't believe it.

"The doctor told me about Frank's injuries," she began, her voice a little quivery, "and your dad called me to tell me what happened. Don't worry; I understand why you couldn't make that call." Her eyes held only sympathy and he felt the tears, which he had held at bay for the last hour or so, well in his eyes again.

"Stop, Joey," she told him, using the nickname she had called him for years in their quiet, private moments. "This isn't your fault."

"Yeah," he managed, voice tight. "I know."

"Look at me," she told him, raising her hands to both sides of his face and forcing him to meet her eyes. "And hear what I am saying to you. If Frank hadn't managed to get to you and to push you out of the way, we would be planning your funeral right now. That would not be okay." Her own eyes were bright and watery.

"Cal," he began, but she shook her head.

"And if that was the case, Frank would be so devastated he wouldn't be able to go on for a long, long time. He would be wishing and praying with his whole heart that he could have made it in time, no matter how badly he would have been hurt, if he could have you in his life. That's what happened, Joey. God answered his prayer before he even had to ask it."

Joe felt the tears slide from his eyes, which Callie quickly brushed away. "He's going to need you," she went on. "I'm going to need you. Please, don't spend one more instant thinking about how or why this happened and focus on the fact that your brother is alive and that he will be okay."

Joe inhaled slowly and deeply, astounded by Callie's strength. This was the woman Frank had known for so long, the one who could endure unimaginable terror, and do so with a smile. If she could get through that, and the incredible pain and heartache that she had gone through in the last two years alone, she could get through this. And so could he. "Okay," he said at last. "You're right." He leaned down and hugged her tightly again, kissing the top of her head and finding comfort in his sister.

"Now," Callie went on, holding his hand, as if she couldn't take a total separation just yet. "You have to help me and follow through on the plans."

"What, Cal?" he asked, trying to get his bearings. "What do you need me to do?"

"I'm going to stay with Frank today and probably most of the time he's here. My parents are watching the kids, and I asked Vanessa to stay at my house now because Nancy made the trip and I couldn't in good conscience kick her out, even with this."

Joe nodded. "Okay."

"While I'm here with Frank, you need to help me. I'm desperate. Please work with Nancy, and even Vanessa, and anyone who is willing to help, to find Johnny's baby. Please, Joe. No matter how bad everything is going in my life right now, time isn't slowing down and I need answers. Stay at my house for a few days. I'm so sorry I'm inconveniencing you, but…"

"Shhh," he told her, rubbing her hand. "You got it. I'll talk to your parents and call you. I just feel like I should stay here now to be sure that…"

"He's okay," Callie cut him off. "Go home. Get sleep. Then start for me on the case. I'll call you tonight and give you an update and then I'll be with him through the surgery tomorrow. He's stronger than you think, Joey. But he WILL need you. Take care of yourself now so you can help me take care of him."

Finally, he acquiesced. Callie was right. He had promised Frank that he would be there for her, and he would be. "Okay, Cal," he told her in a soft voice. "If that's what you want and need, that's what you'll get. Let me meet Van and Nancy at your house."

"Joey?" she asked him.

He looked at her.

"Call Biff, too. He's welcome at the house if he wants to stay as well. In the absence of Frank, without Pat, call him. He's got your back."

He let out a small breath. She had always known him so well.

"And I am so, so glad that you're okay, Joe." She stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "I love you." With a final squeeze of his hand, she headed towards Frank's room as Joe stood watching her. Assured that she was okay, he raised a shaky hand to his forehead and began to plan his course of action. It was time to turn things around.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Callie waved goodbye to her in laws, grateful that they had been there to watch over Frank in her absence. Laura had insisted on calling her parents to see if they needed any help with the babies, and Laura had hugged her tightly and told her to call if she needed anything whatsoever. She would be back to keep her company when Frank endured surgery tomorrow. Fenton, much to her relief, would be going back with Joe to her house. Joe needed support, and as much help as he could get with his cases, and no one was more qualified than Fenton to do that.

Sitting on the side of the bed beside her husband, she gasped when she saw his bandages and bruises, the ugly stitches that now covered his handsome face. She brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen onto his forehead, and, at her touch, his eyes fluttered open. It took him a good minute or two to focus on her face.

"Hi, baby," she whispered, smiling tenderly at him. "I'm here."

"Hey, Cal," he responded, voice weak, though he offered her a pale smile.

She leaned down and kissed him quickly on the lips. "You certainly know how to pack a lot into a day," she joked lightly, holding in her own tears.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," he managed slowly. His words sounded slightly off, as if he was concentrating to form them. "It was for a good cause. Damned younger brothers always getting into trouble."

Callie laughed softly as she saw his mouth twitch into a small smile.

"How do you feel?" she asked him, continuing to stroke his hair gently.

Frank shot her a look. "You know you set yourself up for the 'I feel like I've been hit by a truck' comment, right? Too easy."

Callie laughed despite herself. "Sorry. I should have seen that coming."

"Me, too," Frank joked, very weakly, and Callie shook her head. She couldn't believe he was teasing, though she could tell he was doing it to calm her.

"They gave you lots and lots of pain meds," she told him, quietly. "I think you'll need them over the next few weeks."

"I feel a little loopy," he admitted shakily, "but they help, especially if I don't move too much. How bad do I look on a scale of, like, DiCaprio to Frankenstein's monster?" He tried to smile, but Callie could see the pain in his eyes.

"Stop," she told him. "Really-how much pain are you in?"

"I'm okay," he told her. "My head hurts. The whole left side of my body is throbbing."

"Your knee?" she asked him.

He met her eyes. "I don't think I'll be taking you dancing for Valentine's Day," he told her in a whisper, reaching his right hand for her. "I'm so sorry," he repeated. "I promised you…"

"Stop," she repeated. "I just need you to heal and I will be here for you the whole way. You're not out for the count," she went on, leaning over to kiss his forehead. "You can still think and solve puzzle pieces and do anything you put your mind to; you are brilliant. But right now, you need to let your body and mind rest and recover."

Callie watched as Frank grimaced, obviously in much more pain than he was letting on.

"Close your eyes, sweetheart," she told him, her own heart hurting for him. "I'm here. Hey."

He was struggling to keep his eyes open, but managed to do so.

"You are safe," she whispered, willing herself to keep control. Those three words spoke volumes for them; they always would.

To her surprise, Frank reached for her, cupped the back of her neck, and kissed her, so tenderly and gently that she thought her heart would melt. Then, she nestled into bed next to him, and closed her own eyes as Frank fell into sleep immediately, his good arm secure around her, protecting and loving her, and making HER feel safe, as always.

He had a long road ahead of him, but he was strong and brave, and he would survive. Joe was alive, thank god.

And they all had each other. Yes, in the grand scheme of things, they were relatively fortunate, indeed.


	23. Chapter 23

_**Note:** Thank you to everyone who has read, Followed, or added this story to Favorites. A very special thank you to those who have taken the time to review. I always look forward to seeing what you have to say! For your feedback on the last chapter, many thanks to HighFlyer, sm2003495, MooninScorpio, hbndgirl, Drumboy100, BMSH, hlahabibty, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, Caranath, ChrisCorso, ErinJordan, Rebeccareneesharplake, Hero 76, Ritu, candylou, and max 2013. You all have been so nice and supportive and I appreciate hearing your thoughts and remarks!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 23

Joe rubbed his still sore eyes the next morning at 11:00. He had gotten in late last night to Frank and Callie's house, which, with its spacious rooms, impeccable decor, and now seemingly revolving door of occupants, was starting to feel like a really comfortable hotel. He and Vanessa had stayed in their usual guest room. Today, Joe would be meeting with Nancy, who had stayed at a real hotel last night, his dad, Collig, and Vanessa at noon here, while the Shaws continued to watch JJ and Laurie at their house. Andrea had stopped by earlier to take Evan for the day. His own mom would be with Callie at the hospital for Frank's knee surgery and medical testing for his concussion and injured spleen. One thing he knew for sure was that he could never have gotten through these awful last two weeks without his amazing family and friends, who always pulled together for support; his relatives, blood or otherwise, were his true fortune in life.

He was surprised when he heard the doorbell ring, and, as he got up to answer it, he found himself in the presence of Biff and Karen.

"Hey," he told them. "I...uh…"

Karen kissed his cheek. "I know you called Biff last night, and he thought he'd come over today and see if he could help. And I," she paused, stepping into the house, "thought you could use my expertise for a few minutes before I head off to work."

Biff followed her inside.

It took Joe a minute to process what she was talking about as she nudged him to the couch. Then, she sat down and gently examined his face, while simultaneously looking in a little kit she had with her.

Joe relaxed and smiled. Karen was the perfect girl for Biff. Tall and thin like Vanessa, with light brown hair and hazel eyes, she was funny, laid back, and athletic, having played basketball and lacrosse in college. She was very attractive, but often dressed down and was "one of the guys". She was also smart and was completely dedicated to her job as a nurse, and Biff was completely, totally smitten with her, and she with him.

"Well," she said, looking into his face, "your eyes are still a little red, but the effects of the spray are temporary. They're not still burning, right?"

"No," Joe told her. "I'm fine. Just a little puffy."

"Get your damned beautyrest," Biff quipped as Joe gave him the finger.

"Boys," Karen cut in, rolling her eyes. "And your throat? Still sore or no?"

"I'm okay, Kar. Really."

"Nice shiner you have there," she finished, looking at his eye, where he had taken a good punch. "Keep ice on it while you can. I'm sure it won't be your last one."

"No doubt," Joe replied, standing as she did. "I appreciate the check up, though."

Karen smoothed down her scrubs and smiled. "No worries. Call me anytime. How's your brother? Any better?"

Joe shook his head. "No. But hopefully he'll be out of the hospital in a few days."

Karen, an emergency room nurse, nodded. "That knee injury sounds bad. Thank god he's okay. I have some friends on that floor and I'll have them keep an eye on him. I'll try to visit, too, when I can, and I'll drop by to see Pat." She rubbed Joe's arm. "Keep out of trouble, if that's even possible with you, and try to keep my fiancé out as well. Let's avoid the trifecta for injuries." She winked at him, turned to kiss and hug Biff goodbye, and was gone only a minute later.

"You have a great girl," Joe told Biff when she had left. "She must have been wearing a hell of a pair of beer goggles when she met you."

Biff laughed. "Wasn't _Beauty and the Beast_ your first date with Van?" he countered. "Subconscious parallel there?"

Joe smiled. "You're a freaking moron," he told him, "but I'm glad to see you."

Biff walked over to Joe. "I'm glad to be here, pal," he told him. "I'm really sorry about Frank," he went on, serious. "I'll visit him too as soon as I can. How's he holding up?"

"He was kind of out of it yesterday," Joe admitted. "And I'm worried. He was in pain, and I think it's going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. He almost died," Joe finished quietly.

"He _didn't_ die," Biff reminded him. "And neither did you. I would have missed you, too, because I damned well would have missed the kick ass bachelor party you would have thrown me."

Joe sighed and shook his head.

"Just kidding," Biff told him, when he saw that Joe was upset. "I love you, brother. I'm not the brightest crayon in the attic, but I'm here to help."

Joe started laughing. "Biff, you're an idiot. You're either not the brightest crayon in the box or not the brightest light in the attic. Brightest crayon in the attic… moron."

"Have I mentioned lately that I have always liked Frank much better than you?" Biff asked, squinting his eyes. "If you want me to go, I will. I have no problem with you being your normal jackass self, but this will get real old, real quick. I can actually be serious, you know."

'I know," Joe answered, suddenly more serious, himself. "And no, I don't want you to leave. I'm tired and worried and I have promises to keep and I don't know where to start." He stopped talking, realizing how on edge he still was.

"I get it," Biff told him. "I do. This is important to me, too," he went on, blue eyes grave. "Johnny was one of my favorite people. I like Pat a lot, even though we go at it all the time. And Frank… you know…"

"I DO know," Joe responded. He smiled as he held out his arms. "Hug it out?"

"You wish," Biff responded, but he reached out to Joe anyway and returned the embrace. "Now quit trying to make a move on me," he joked, pulling away. "I'm sexy as shit, but you have to control yourself."

"You're definitely sexy as _shit_ ," Joe agreed, laughing again when he saw the confused look on Biff's face. Despite it all, he felt better with Biff there. He really was his second brother, and Biff knew him as well as Frank and Vanessa did. He'd know when to act, talk, and listen, and he was truly the best friend he had ever had. Though they were rarely serious with each other, they'd lived a lifetime of bad decisions and good times together. In the absence of his real brother, it was comforting to have Biff there.

"So what's the plan for today?" Biff asked as he headed to the kitchen. "Please god tell me Callie has some normal food here."

"You know where the pantry is. They have kids, so you're virtually assured of Goldfish or Cheerios at least. Help yourself." He followed him and sat at the island.

"Oh, hell yeah!" Biff exclaimed as he opened the pantry and caught sight of a container of chocolate chip cookies. He opened it and breathed in the scent. "Homemade… by Callie…" Biff said. "Life is good."

"You're a really complex guy," Joe told him, but grinned.

"Want one?" Biff asked, taking out several for himself.

"Yeah, actually," Joe answered. He took a few before replacing the lid. "I'll need your damned gym membership after this." He started munching, enjoying the cookies immensely. Callie could bake and cook better than almost anyone he knew.

"The plan?" Biff reminded him as he sat next to him.

Joe nodded, starting to focus. "We have to talk to Van- she's upstairs getting ready- and to Nancy to see what we know about this Amanda Madison and Doug Fuller. We need to track down Fuller- where the hell he's been is the question, and how he's managing to contact Callie. The only thing I'm worried about is why he hasn't been apprehended yet. This should have been a quick case, cut and dry. If he was a druggie or abusive, as I thought, he wouldn't have the wherewithal to avoid capture like this. And that's making me think he's more organized than I initially thought."

Biff nodded. "So, is that good or bad for the baby? You don't think he would actually hurt her, do you?" he asked, concerned. "I mean, she's a baby, for god's sake. Johnny's…"

Joe thought for a moment. "Initially, no- I didn't think she'd be hurt. Now? I don't know. That's why this meeting with Nancy is so important. Van is good at computers. We need to see what they both know or can find out. We also need to ask Collig where the hell the officers have been- no one just disappears."

"But the PD is spread thin right now, isn't it?" Biff asked. "I mean, they lost one officer, Pat's down, and the Santitori case is still open, speaking of how babies don't just disappear."

"I know, bro," Joe answered, contemplative. "I've barely given that case any thought. But again… babies don't disappear is right. And the feds haven't found anything. Plus, Frank mentioned another child has gone missing, and I have no idea about that new case at all. Three children? I… I don't know. I guess they could all be related, but I have no idea how." He met Biff's eyes. "But let me tell you this. I do not mess around with missing children cases."

"I'm not a dad yet," Biff answered quietly. "But I understand. My friends have kids. Tony, Frank, you. I love them all... "

"I know," Joe told him, patting his back. "Of course you do. I know you'll help me."

"Always," Biff replied. "You know that."

Joe grinned slowly. Yes, he did.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Joe had finished getting everyone drinks and had just returned to the kitchen to grab some snacks that Callie always had around somewhere. He took a moment to collect himself, noting the seriousness of the situation and the need for expediency. His dad and Chief Collig were speaking familiarly, while Biff was chatting with Vanessa and Nancy was gathering her notes.

 _Nancy_. He had to admit, it was both cool and a little weird to see her again. She was stunning, as always, bright and warm and focused. The only differences were that they were all older now, grown up, with their own lives which rarely crossed. Now, there would be no more stolen glances between Nancy and Frank, no more crossing any lines. Nancy looked genuinely content, had chatted with bright eyes about Ned and their lives together. And, god knew, Frank was head over heels in love with Callie, who was the whole center of his universe, his true soulmate.

But it was good; Nancy was good. And maybe they could pick up where they had left off a decade ago, as people with a true passion to help others and the talents, daring, and resourcefulness to do so. He hoped so. He and Frank were a team, and they loved what they did, loved working together and drawing strength from each other. Nancy was a very successful detective, too, was continuing her rise in the profession. It could be great to work with her again; he would soon see.

As he was about to head into the the family room, he felt his phone go off and saw that Callie was trying to get him on Facetime. He picked up the phone and hit "connect" immediately.

He smiled when her face appeared. Though she looked tired and a little overwhelmed, she smiled at him, too.

"Hey, good lookin'," she said to him. "I come bearing news. Frank is out of surgery. He's resting now."

Joe let out a relieved breath. "Thank god. How'd it go?"

Callie smiled, but he could see the strain on her face. "It's a good thing he stayed here yesterday. Dr. Lofton was right. His spleen did rupture."

"Oh my god," Joe replied, half gasping.

"Breathe," she told him. "He was here, and the rupture occurred in two places. The doctors were able to save his spleen through surgery and he has internal stitches now. He's going to be very weak, but I was told that spleen surgery is generally safe. Still, they'll need to watch for bleeding, blood clots, infection and pneumonia. It'll be a full week at least before he's released."

"Oh, Cal," he breathed. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you."

"Don't be silly," she told him, gently. "Besides, your mom has been great. We're talking more, and… well, that's been good."

"Good," he agreed. "What about Frank? Everything else go okay?" he prodded, still anxious.

Callie held up her hand in an "eh" fashion, as she moved it back and forth. "The good news is that there was no bleeding from his head injury; no skull fracture. But he'll need rest- you know the two of you and concussions- not good. His ribs were hairline fractures and his lung was not punctured. His knee is horrible." Joe watched as she bit her lip to keep her composure. "He was able to keep his kneecap, but he has wires and pins and screws in. He had to get something called a patellar tendon autograft, or whatever it's called. He had ACL reconstruction. I just… oh, Joe. You know how athletic Frank is. I'm scared for him that he won't be able to return to sports or even normal walking, you know?" She was blinking back tears.

"What did the doctor say?" Joe asked, serious.

"He said that Frank will be in a lot of pain, but that should subside in a few weeks. They'll give him pain meds. But opioids are really addictive, so they'll have to monitor them closely. He'll have to go to physical therapy, too. The doctor told me that if it was just the ACL and meniscus, recovery would be 4-6 months. But, in his case, he thinks it'll be closer to 9." Her lips were quivering as she tried to retain her composure.

"Hey," Joe told her softly, heart aching for her and for Frank. "Frank will get the best care possible. You know my brother; there's no way that he'll NOT play sports. He'll work his ass off to get back, and I'm sure Karen will be able to direct him to some great therapy places, and that Biff will have him work on the recovery machines at the gym."

"I guess," Callie told him in a trembling voice, her eyes still tear-filled.

"We have Pat's wedding in May and Biff's whenever he gets around to setting the damned date. We both have anniversaries and birthdays and babies to celebrate. Frank will make it, Cal. I can't picture him not twirling you on the dance floor."

He was comforted when he saw her smile a bit.

"I wish I could be there to hug you right now," he told her, sincerely. "But I made you a promise, and intend to keep it. We're all here to get this case figured out. When Frank wakes up, I'll be there to get his opinion, too. I'll need him, and it'll be good for him to concentrate on something that doesn't involve pain. You need to be on stand-by, too, in case we need you. Did you do what I asked?"

"Yes," she told him. "I have your phone, obviously, and you have mine. You know everything that was said to me."

"And he only spoke with you once?" Joe confirmed. "You don't think he would know your voice?"

"No," Callie responded. "I don't think so. It all happened so fast."

"And what was the ransom demand again?" he asked.

Callie rubbed her temple. "A million dollars. And yes- I could get that if need be."

Joe remained incredulous that his brother and Callie had that kind of money, but it made sense. They'd always invested wisely, had gone to college on full scholarships. Johnny had left them a lot of money; Frank had been paid on plenty of cases for years, sometimes with big rewards; Callie's dad was a now retired stockbroker on Wall Street, and Fenton, his own dad, was more than financially set after years of hard work and a stellar reputation.

It was just surreal, though, because no one would ever never know it. Despite their large house and expansive property, and the fact that they'd always liked quality clothing, they were as normal and down to earth as anyone he'd ever met. Callie and Frank had both worked from a young age, had to pay for their own insurances and cars. Callie, he knew, had struggled a lot in college financially, as her parents had always withheld money until she turned 25, wanting her to learn the value of a dollar; Fenton had done the same with him and Frank. He and Vanessa were way flashier than them. And Callie and Frank both worked very, very hard in their jobs every day, despite not needing to. But that was them; their fortunes were in each other, not in money.

"Let's hope you don't need it," he told her. "I'll let you know. Get prepared if you do."

"I am," she said quietly.

"I'll hear later," Joe cautioned her. "We only have til tomorrow."

"Please, Joey. Find her." Callie's eyes pierced right into his soul.

"I promised you, right?" he reminded her.

"You did," she answered. "I know what that means."

With a final reminder to stay vigilant and to await his call, he hung up.

He knew in his gut that today… and tomorrow… would change everyone's lives forever, and he prepared himself for whatever the outcome would be.

As he went to rejoin everyone to initiate the discussion, his phone rang again. Only, it was Callie's phone, as he alone was aware.

And he knew damned well who was on the other end...


	24. Chapter 24

_**Note:** Thank you to everyone who has read, Followed, or added this story to Favorites. A very special thank you to those who have taken the time to review. You have all been so nice and I sincerely appreciate your support- you all made my day! For your feedback on the last chapter, many thanks to Cereleannoson, hbndgirl, ChrisCorso, MooninScorpio, Drumboy100, sm2003495, Ritu, Caranath, hlahabibty, erinJordan, FANHB08, EvergreenDreamweaver, rebeccareneesharpelake, max 2013, Paulina Ann, Penlew, BMSH, and candylou. I THINK that I was able to PM everyone privately who has a registered account, but if you are signed in as a guest, your comments were also very appreciated. Thanks to everyone!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 24

As soon as the phone rang, Joe knew it was Fuller. Frank had placed a trace on Callie's phone, so Joe knew that the longer Fuller would be kept on the line, the better the chances would be of catching him. In order to do that, though, Fuller had to believe that he was speaking to Callie.

Hurrying into the next room where everyone was gathered, he pointed at the phone and tossed it to Nancy, who picked it up immediately. Though they hadn't spoken yet of what she knew, they had exchanged enough information to have had a plan in place in case Fuller called early. He had.

"Hello?" Nancy said into the phone, feigning nervousness. She sounded convincing, and Joe was impressed.

"Yes, of course. Whatever I need to do. Please- just tell me where she is."

Collig and Fenton were standing by her as Vanessa and Biff looked on.

"I… I just don't have that much money," Nancy went on, sounding almost tearful. "I understand, but… I can't get that amount that quickly. Can you just give me a little more time, or take less? I just want her back."

She pointed her finger at her watch, letting Collig know that she was aware of the importance of getting Fuller to stay on the phone as long as possible.

"I don't know." She furrowed her brow in concentration. "Tuesday?" Nancy asked. "I… yes. I think I can get it by then. But I need to know she's alive."

"I understand!" Nancy went on. "I know. No police. Of course." Pause. "And no- he won't be there. Neither will his brother. I don't know why you should believe me!" Nancy said. "But you need to. Please. Let me hear her."

Joe sucked in his breath. She was doing everything right; textbook. Nancy was keeping the phone line open, realistically negotiating, and, above all, getting proof of life. He knew that there was no assurance that this guy wouldn't hurt that child, and all would be for naught if they couldn't prove she was there in the first place.

There was a pause of a minute as Nancy put the phone on speaker and covered her lips. Fuller's voice, desperate and menacing, came across loudly. "Listen, Callie Hardy, you get me that money. Drop it off in two separate bags: one at the abandoned apartment complex by the park across from the stop sign at 6:00 and the next one by the bus terminal on 8th and Providence at 8:00. The money should be in small unmarked bills- 50s and 20s, split. Half a million in each."

"But… then what?" Nancy asked, mimicking his desperate tone. "Please. I need to hear her now or I can't do any of this! The cops are watching me and I need to get them off my case. I will... I promise… I know I have to. Let me hear her!"

Fuller let loose a string of expletives and threats against Callie's life, and Joe was grateful that Nancy was hearing it, and not Callie. Nancy was professional and knew how to keep her cool. She was also not emotionally invested, and Callie's heart was already breaking.

However, as expected, Fuller disappeared for a minute. When he returned, Joe felt his blood run cold. He heard a child screaming and crying in the background. Even Nancy swallowed hard.

"Tuesday," he repeated, venomously. "The money better be there, or I'll kill the brat and leave her body on your doorstep. Then I'll come back for you and destroy you and your children."

"Don't hurt her," Nancy replied, upset but calm. "I'll do whatever you want. But where will I find her when the money is dropped off?"

"You'll find that out- after."

"It doesn't work like that," Nancy answered, and Joe inhaled sharply. While Nancy was doing an excellent job negotiating, Callie would have been hysterical, and she needed to play her part. Nancy seemed to understand when she met his eyes. "Look," she said, making her voice shake, "I just want her."

"Callie," he said, and now his voice held almost a laughter in it, "sweetheart, you're in no position to negotiate. You try to play me, she dies. Then your kids do. Then you do. I get the money, you get the kid. Tuesday." He hung up.

"I'm on it," Collig said seriously. "I think that was long enough to get a general location."

Vanessa was wiping back tears and Biff had his arm around her in comfort.

"See what you can get," Fenton told him. "But let us know immediately and do not send officers without letting us know first."

Collig shot him a "Would I do that?" look, and Fenton nodded, noting, "You know what? Let me help you." They disappeared into the back family room.

Joe caught Biff's eye, knowing he would understand.

Biff spoke up. "Look, you two, we're gonna leave you alone and, uh…. call Callie and see how Frank is and tell her that contact has been made. Then, Joe… you'll call her later again?"

"Absolutely," Joe replied. "Don't tell her anything of substance just yet until we figure things out. I don't want to upset her."

"Do you think he'll hurt her?" Vanessa asked, looking scared.

"We'll get him," Nancy replied, vaguely. "Try not to worry."

"After the call, come back and tell me what you know about Amanda Madison," Joe went on, distracting Vanessa. "I'll talk to Nancy now and then we'll all discuss and plan the course of action to take. At least we bought three days." He stood and pulled Vanessa into a quick hug before releasing her, and Biff reached for her hand. He turned and made eye contact with Joe momentarily, who mouthed, "Thank you," before Biff guided Vanessa away, giving Joe and Nancy privacy.

"What do you think?" Joe asked her, starting to pace a bit as Nancy stood up.

"I don't like it,"Nancy responded, honestly.

"Me, either," Joe replied, eyes dark. "For a lot of reasons."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she cautioned. "Maybe Chief Collig will be able to get a trace on that phone, after all."

"Nancy, why wouldn't he have gotten a throw away phone?" Joe pondered. "It's like he wants to be caught."

"There's a lot that doesn't make sense," Nancy admitted. "You know as well as I do that he doesn't seem as if he's just a strung out druggie. That's concerning. If he was, he wouldn't be so patient. He wouldn't have done the research to get Callie's personal information. He would have gotten that trac phone that he could get rid of. I'm also worried that I couldn't pin down a time or place to get the baby. Normally, these guys are so desperate that kids are a liability. They WANT to get rid of them right away. Plus, I hate to say this… that baby didn't sound good."

"I know," Joe agreed, thinking. "This guy… he's being smart. One drop he wants in a private place out of the way, where he can see if Callie is being followed. Then he wants the second drop not too much later across town right at in a busy location. That'd keep anyone off guard. Where is the baby the whole time? It ALMOST makes me think he's working with someone else. And if memory serves correct, he's not local. That means he's been following my sister -in -law, and that is completely intolerable. He's methodical and organized, and that makes him dangerous."

Nancy met his eyes. "While you were talking to Callie before, I assume, I was chatting a bit with Vanessa. Right now, I need you to help me reconcile what I know about Fuller with this guy."

"Go ahead," Joe encouraged her. "If you talked to Van, great. I'll have her tell me anyway in case she left out anything with you, and it'll make her feel better, too, that she can contribute in some way."

"Sure," Nancy agreed. "Let me tell you why I'm concerned. Amanda Madison was, by all accounts, not a completely BAD person. She struggled a lot, but was very, very pretty and clearly infatuated with stardom. I assume that's where she met John Gellers. How did Callie know him?"

"College friends," Joe replied simply.

Nancy nodded, thoughtful. "She knew him well?"

Joe smiled softly. "Very well. He was a really terrific guy." He left it at that. Nancy didn't need to know the intimacies of Callie and Johnny's relationship.

"I'm glad," Nancy replied. "That would make sense for why Callie would want to help find this child. I WOULD recommend a paternity test, though. Stars have accusations against…"

"Nancy," Joe cut her off. "Normally I would agree with you. I already did the research. That child is John's daughter."

"The baby's mother was kind of a wild child," Nancy went on after listening to Joe. "But she did seem to love that child- at least on social media."

"I saw the same thing on social media. Agreed," Joe replied.

"Vanessa did a lot of searching, and it seems as if Amanda was estranged from her family. She, herself, was adopted, if you can believe that. She seemed to have a lot of friends, but no family. And she seemed to straighten out her life- or be trying to- when the baby was born. She didn't try to extort John Gellers. By all accounts, she never even mentioned him directly. She also appeared to call the baby Hope Madison."

"Yeah, though John's name is on the birth certificate," Joe added thoughtfully.

Nancy smiled at him."You did your research, too, I see."

"I'm not all good looks and impulsivity," Joe joked, and Nancy chuckled.

"Anyway," she went on, "she looked okay until she started getting involved with Fuller." Nancy looked pensive. "Joe, here's the thing. Fuller was a low life drug dealer and addict, and he seemed to be abusive towards her. She was trying to leave him. He was a hot mess- record after record for possession, theft- things like that. He couldn't hold down a steady job. His last job was actually as a fryer at McDonalds… but he hasn't shown up since Amanda died."

"Something's wrong," Joe replied. "Damn, Nancy. What is it? How could a guy like that get all this info? Wouldn't he take any money at all? A junkie's a junkie. Do we have a last known address on him? What about Amanda? Why haven't the cops been able to find Fuller at all?"

At that moment, Collig appeared with Fenton. In the background, Joe heard Vanessa speaking to Callie. "I think I can answer that, Joe," Collig told him. The look on his face was serious.

"I've reached out to my contacts in Manhattan. We checked Madison's address and traced Fuller's phone and credit cards. All activity stopped three days after Amanda Madison died. We checked Fuller's family and any known contacts. We even had the undercover guys talk to their contacts on the street- nothing. The trace we got today, though- it answered one question."

"What's that?" Joe asked wearily, almost afraid to ask.

"Why we couldn't find Fuller," Collig responded, as Fenton crossed his arms. "I sent two patrol cars to the location-it's literally five minutes from here. I heard you say that it's almost as if he wanted to be found- that's right."

"I don't understand," Nancy said, and Joe had to agree.

"We found him," Collig answered.

"What?" Joe and Nancy asked in unison.

"Doug Fuller is dead," Collig replied grimly. "Shot. His phone was found right next to him. So whoever you're dealing with, whoever has that child, is NOT Doug Fuller."

Joe's eyes widened in horror and Nancy's mouth fell open.

"And whoever it is," Fenton cut in, "is deadly serious, organized, and intelligent. And he knows way too much for my liking about Callie and my grandchildren. Above all, he's kidnapped an innocent little baby. It's time to get more federal agents in, because we're dealing with another missing child case," he said. "This is no joke. Stella Santitori is most likely dead. A child named Thomas Rydell went missing three days ago. And now, of utmost priority, Hope Madison Gellers is missing, and if my experience means anything…"

"She'll be killed before Tuesday," Joe finished as it dawned on him. Oh, god. What were they going to do?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several hours later, Callie tried to fight sleep as she sat in the hospital chair beside Frank's bed. She was exhausted and scared to death: Vanessa's and Joe's calls had her on edge, and she couldn't even talk to Frank now. When he'd awoken from surgery, he'd been very groggy and clearly in pain, and all she could do was hold his hand.

Laura had been wonderful, but had left only a half hour before to call her parents to check on the kids and to get a small dinner. She'd be back soon. Callie tried to fight the nausea she felt whenever she thought of what baby Hope must be enduring; the guilt she felt being away from her own children; the fear and sadness she felt when she thought of what Frank had been through and what he still had to endure; the pain of Johnny's loss, which she felt profoundly now.

Soon, her eyes closed and she fell into a restless slumber.

 _She was back there, in the freezing cold night two years ago. Her body was shutting down, she was bleeding profusely, her labor had started. She was dying; so was he, as she would learn only days later. It was the last conversation they'd ever had._

 _Their situation was dire and Callie couldn't pretend anymore. "Johnny?" she'd murmured._

 _"Mmmm hmmm?"_

 _"Thank you," she whispered, knowing it wasn't enough. "No matter what happens, you know I love you so much, right?"_

 _He swallowed hard before answering. "Stop. This is too much like goodbye, Cal." But when he felt her trembling, sensed the real pain she was in, he held her tighter. "But yes- I know. And I love you, too, honey." He gave her a quick peck on the lips. "And your husband will kill me if I don't somehow find a way to get you to get home safely. So let me work on that."_

 _"We're going to die, John," Callie interrupted suddenly, voice painfully weak, as she bit her lip to prevent crying out from the agonizing sharp stabbing sensations in her abdomen and back; the abject fear of what she knew was happening._

 _"Not like this," he responded, heart hurting for them; for her; for her family. He made a decision. "I_ _'m leaving, sweetheart," he said to her, forcing her to meet his eyes. When she registered what he was saying, she looked terrified and tried to speak._

 _"N...no. Johnny… please."_

 _He fought tears. "Listen to me, Cal. Please. I will find my way back to the cabin. I'll beg- beg-for help. I don't know what else to do, but we can't stay here. You'll never make it." He was freezing._

 _"Please," she mouthed, voice barely above a whisper. "Don't leave. I'm scared."**_

 _And he hadn't left. He hadn't left her then or ever. He had always come through for her, protecting her, loving her, comforting her in the worst times of her life._

 _And then she was there again when IT happened and oh, god… no! no! no!_

"Callie! Callie!"

Somehow, she managed to open her eyes. She felt hands on her, trying to hold her down, and she was moaning and whimpering, tears streaming down her face.

Laura and Fenton were there, with Biff, Nancy, and Vanessa. Frank's eyes had popped open. _Who?! Who was trying to pin her down?_

"Callie-calm-"

But she couldn't breathe.

"No…" Frank tried to say, forcing himself up. "No- let her _go-_ -"

Joe heard the chaos down the hall, as he had stopped for a soda before going to see Frank with everyone and to discuss what they could with him. He ran to Frank's room where Callie was flailing against two strong male nurses who were trying to subdue her, and it clicked all of a sudden as he saw the panic in Frank's eyes and the abject terror in Callie's.

"I got her," Joe cut in, forcing both nurses away and ignoring the confusion and upset on everyone's faces as they tried to figure out what was going on.

He'd deal with that later- deal with them all. In one fell swoop, he grabbed Callie around the waist and led her out of the room, and she was still half sobbing and shaking worse than he'd ever seen her. He led her into the abandoned waiting room at the end of the hall and closed the door, and, by then, she was starting to hyperventilate, but she looked like she was at least semi-aware of her surroundings.

She had told him that she had made peace with her past, and he had believed her; that she rarely had setbacks. He had certainly never witnessed her struggling. Until now. He somehow knew what to do, though, as he let instinct take over.

"It's me," he told her, cupping her face in his hands. "It's Joey. JOEY," he repeated. "I've got you. Breathe." He was very careful not to pin her arms or to restrict her movement.

Finally, she calmed her breathing and her legs started to give out. At that point, he pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest, stroking her hair. She sobbed quietly against him, trembling. "I...I'm sorry," she sputtered. "I…"

Joe fought his own tears. What a hell of a day. He would have understood Callie's breakdown under normal circumstances: she'd confided in him about feeling Johnny's presence; she'd discovered he had a child; that child was in grave danger; she'd received numerous threats; met her nemesis for years; watched one of her friends fight for his life; watched her husband almost die. Who could withstand all of that?

But what made it worse: he knew the other component, and no one, other than Frank, did. Well, that wasn't true- he didn't actually know any details, but at least he knew that it had happened. He silently thanked her for telling him, because now he could see what he'd never known before. How many other times had she gone through these flashbacks? It had been _ten years_. He thought of his own nightmares and flashbacks to Iola, ones that still held him paralyzed at times, but now they seemed pale and weak in comparison. The look of terror in her eyes when she thought she was being held down- it almost broke him.

And now he understood Frank better than he ever had before, because he felt it, too: the overwhelming need to protect her. But how much worse it must have been for Frank, who loved her so much, to watch her relive her nightmare? They'd been to hell as a couple, but the fire had formed them into an absolutely impregnable fortress. Still, how much could two people endure?

"It's okay, sis. It's okay. I'm here now. I understand." He kissed the top of her head. He saw his dad peering in, confused, and Vanessa by him, in tears again. He shook his head and waved them away, and, mercifully, though they seemed confused, they did leave. Gently, he maneuvered their body positions so that her face couldn't be seen, would guard her as Frank would have.

He'd come tonight with everyone to make a plan to find baby Hope, as well as to check on Frank, who, he knew, must be panicking right now. He'd come to discuss his fears openly with everyone, to caution Callie to be careful. But right now, none of that mattered. His sister needed him.

"I'm going to hold you as long as you need," he told her, quietly. "No rush. I have you. And you don't have to talk or explain or anything. I'll protect you. You're okay."

She held onto him and nodded against his chest as he cradled her against him.

Things were getting worse and worse. When would this nightmare end?

 _*** From "The Secret Spaces" (Ch. 14)_


	25. Chapter 25

**Note:** _I am so appreciative for all of the kind feedback and lovely reviews. Thank you for taking the time to read and for all of your support. On the last chapter, thanks to the following people for your reviews: Guest (you never know- I may have other stories in me yet! :) Your words were quite sweet), Hero76, ChrisCorso, Drumboy100, hlahabibty, Paulina Ann, EvergreenDreamweaver, hbndgirl, MooninScorpio, max2013, sm2003495, candylou, BMSH, ErinJordan, Caranath, and Ritu._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 25

Joe walked into Frank's room alone, slipping his arm around Vanessa when he saw her. Fenton and Laura, Nancy, and Chief Collig were looking concerned and talking quietly, but it was the heartbreak and panic in Frank's weary eyes that got to him immediately. Frank looked up the moment Joe entered the room, desperate for answers.

Just as planned, Karen walked into the room at almost the same time.

"Hey, guys," Joe said. "Callie's fine. I asked Karen to come up here to talk to you, and I sent Callie back to the house with Biff."

Karen smiled warmly. "I still have few hours on my shift," she started. "Just wanted to let you know that Joe told me that Callie was a little upset, so I checked her out."

Joe could tell Frank needed to talk to him and he nodded very subtly.

"I think it's best that Callie go home. Please don't worry about her. She's exhausted and under a tremendous amount of stress," Karen said lightly. "And some of you know that she has a problem with anemia, which is contributing to some issues: she had a rapid heart rate and low blood pressure which resulted in some shortness of breath and made her faint. Understandably, she panicked. Biff will take care of her at the house and her parents have the kids."

"Is she okay?" Vanessa asked, and Laura walked over to hold her hand.

"She's fine," Karen replied. "But I think it's best for Callie not to mention this for awhile. You know how she gets when she's the center of attention… she's not her brother in law." Karen winked at Joe. "Check on her tomorrow. In the meantime, Van- why don't you go to Fenton and Laura's house or to Frank and Callie's with Laura, and you all get some rest. I'm sure everything will look better in the morning."

"She's right," Laura agreed. "We'll only be in the way here. We'll go to your house, sweetheart," she said to Frank, "and make sure Callie is okay. We'll let her sleep."

Frank nodded calmly, though Joe saw he was about to burst. "Thanks, Karen," Joe told her. "Why doesn't everyone go with Karen to the cafeteria? Get a quick dinner. I'll stay with Frank. I think we have a long night ahead of us."

"Sure," Karen readily agreed. "Come on. Follow me."

As everyone reluctantly got up, Joe quickly released Vanessa and followed Karen into the hallway. "Thank you," he whispered, pulling her into a quick hug. "I owe you one."

"Everything I said was the truth," Karen responded. "You call me if you get nervous or need anything. I promise you-she'll be okay. Just remember what I said." She winked at him again and waved everyone to follow her.

Oh, he remembered. He would always remember. When Callie had finally calmed down, she had half- collapsed in the chair next to him. Biff had texted Karen who had come up immediately from her floor, and she had been wonderful with Callie: upbeat, calming, and reassuring as she had checked her out, much to Callie's mortification. And Joe had never released his arm from firmly around her shoulders. Eventually, he convinced her to leave with Biff, which he would never have been able to do under normal circumstances, as Callie never would have left Frank's side. But she was so embarrassed and overwhelmed that she had finally acquiesced.

As Biff was leading her out, Karen had grabbed his arm. "Joe," she'd told him, not missing a beat, "watch her body language. She flinches away from people. She doesn't like to be touched. She's genuinely scared." Karen had looked him right in the eyes. "Somebody hurt her. I don't know how or when or who; I've never seen her like this before. It could have been a day ago or 25 years ago or it could be a flashback to that horrible Cotnig case. But you watch out for her. She needs support now. TRUST ME."

He'd been unable to speak. Then, Karen continued after a moment, her gaze never wavering. "But you knew that, didn't you?"

"Kar-" he'd managed, mouth dry, not knowing what to say.

"I'm glad you know," she said, simply. "And whatever it is, it goes no further. Consider it nurse-patient confidentiality." Then, she smiled and was back to her old self, chipper and positive. She'd squeezed his arm. "Enough said."

And, together, they'd planned what to say to everyone to protect Callie.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as he could, Joe hurried into Frank's room, where Frank was looking around frantically.

"Hey," Joe told him. "What do you need?"

"My… phone…" he half -moaned.

From years of experience, Joe knew where it would be as he walked to the cabinet in the back of the room. He opened it took out Frank's phone.

"Want me to dial Callie for you?" he asked, compassionately.

Frank shook his head. "I'll text her."

"Want me to type?" Joe asked.

Frank shook his head. "It's private," he mumbled, and Joe nodded. It was hard to watch Frank, clearly confused and upset and in pain, trying to work his phone, but eventually he seemed to have finished and he leaned back against the pillows.

"I think she'll be okay," Joe said after a few minutes. "My heart broke for her."

Frank swallowed hard. "That wasn't nearly as bad as I've seen her," he whispered.

Joe sucked in his breath. The unspoken...everything… hung in the air. Joe walked to Frank and took his hand again. Frank didn't pull away. "She told me that," he replied quietly, calmly. "She said that she was mostly having a nightmare about Johnny and then it just— changed— at the end. That's all she mentioned. Does this happen often?" He didn't want to push; only wanted to help.

"No," Frank told him, eyes teary. "Rarely. It used to happen years ago. That's the scary thing." His voice was low. "You just never know when it'll show up. Imagine how terrifying that is for her."

Joe just squeezed his hand. "She didn't want to leave you."

"It's better she did," he responded, drained. "I know how this will affect her. She's going to feel vulnerable and exposed and scared."

"Yeah, but she's strong, Frank. She snapped back. And part of this is exactly what Karen said. She's physically at her limit. She admitted she's forgotten to take her iron supplements and she hasn't eaten at all in a day or two. She's exhausted."

Frank's lips quivered a bit. "Thank you so much," he said at last, clasping Joe's hand tighter. "It's such a relief that you know, that you can help her. And me."

Joe released Frank's hand, heart full. Under these awful circumstances, he continued to grow closer to his brother. He cleared his throat, and he knew Frank understood. "You up for a talk about this case tonight?" he asked. "If you're not—"

"I've been out of it all day," Frank replied. "I feel like shit, but I'm awake."

Joe suppresed a smile. Unlike him, Frank rarely cursed, and normally he'd tease him about it, but he was just grateful that Frank was mostly okay. "You tell me immediately if you're too weak or tired or in too much pain, and we'll leave. Promise me."

"Okay," Frank managed. Joe noticed he clung to his phone.

"Let me fill you in before everyone gets back," Joe began, and he did so, leaving nothing out. He watched as Frank concentrated, horrified but focused. When he was finished, he waited a few minutes for Frank to talk.

"I need to think," he said weakly. "When… is everyone coming back?"

Joe looked at his watch. "About 15 minutes, I would guess," he said. "Let me get them. Want anything to eat?"

Frank shook his head. "I don't think I'm allowed to, plus I'm not hungry at all." He looked at the phone again, and Joe's heart went out to him.

"I'll be back in a few," Joe told him, and headed out of the room.

Inside, Frank closed his eyes against the dizziness and nausea. His head was killing him, and his whole body ached when he moved. He knew the worst part was still to come, but, for now, the pain meds were mostly doing their job. He needed to help on this case; too much was on the line. But he couldn't focus well, and all he wanted to do was to forget everything— hold his wife against him until he was totally sure she was okay, hold his children, run away. But he couldn't do any of that, and he would not run. _As if I could,_ he thought wryly for a moment.

Finally, his phone buzzed and he forced himself to look at the screen. It was strange to have texted his private message to Callie to Joe's number, since their phones were switched, but he knew she'd erase it. And when he read her message back, he finally felt like he could breathe. He closed his eyes and touched his wedding ring lightly. He waited; he dared to hope.

As Joe was about to head to the elevator, he stopped and broke into a huge smile. In a wheelchair pushed by his brother, Pat appeared around the corner. Cast, bandages, and pallid complex aside, he looked … better.

Sean wheeled him forward and Joe met them in the hallway. "Hey, brother- heard you might need a little help," Pat said quietly.

Joe ruffled Pat's hair as Pat looked at him in disgust. Sean laughed.

"I'm desperate, so I guess you'll do," Joe quipped.

Pat's mouth twitched into a smile. "Collig'll be dealing with both of us again," he said.

"Well then," Joe said, "now things just might get interesting."

Pat held up his good hand and Joe hit his fist against Pat's.

Maybe, just maybe, his luck was starting to turn around.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later, after Pat and Sean had been introduced to Nancy, they'd been over all of the facts they knew several times, trying to look for a different angle. A now much more humbled Detective Vogelthorpe had joined them, along with Detective Kirk and a few FBI agents. Frank's hospital room was essentially being turned into a makeshift center of operations.

Joe kept close watch on Pat and Frank, both of whom were doing their best to contribute and concentrate despite their serious injuries. Joe could tell that Frank was almost at his saturation point, and he looked awful, but he was determined to participate; it was probably the most personal case in which he had ever been involved, after the Cotnig case. Pat was doing better than he expected, almost good, as if being involved in police work really did make his blood run better; really did offer him strength.

"We have to be able to narrow down who has that child," Fenton said, sighing in frustration. "If Fuller was killed and Madison died in a car accident, then it's probable that whoever has the child knew both of them."

"And there is no way that John Gellers would have spoken to family or friends at all about Madison?" Nancy asked.

Joe shook his head grimly. "No. According to Callie, John didn't even know this girl." At the look of disgust that briefly crossed Nancy's face, Joe added, "Stop, Nancy. You didn't know him. I know what it looks like, but he was a great man; this was a mistake. He never would have left her if he knew she was pregnant. In fact, he never would have left her, period. He TRIED to find her; she wanted to disappear."

"She NEVER contacted him?" Nancy asked, incredulous. "I'm sorry, but that's hard to believe, Joe. She was poor; never had a break in her life. Why would she not go after Gellers's money? I mean, she went after him… why not follow up with his fortune?"

Frank spoke up quietly, and Joe saw how hard it was for him to think with his concussion. As usual, though, his brother never complained. "John was a private person," he said. "It's possible she was trying to raise the baby on her own, and she seemed to be doing okay with that. The fact that John's name was on the birth certificate indicates that she was leaving the door open if, in the future, she wanted to pursue it. Maybe she wanted to see if she could be successful first on her own, to prove something to herself?"

"Well, yeah," Nancy answered. "I guess that could make sense. According to all of her social media, she did seem to love that child… but she had no support and no family. And several of her posts in the months prior to her death had her complaining about her job and lack of money and need to 'get out of this place', so it looks like her luck was beginning to turn for the worse. And that's when she seems to have met Fuller."

Joe was thoughtful. "I wonder… all of this happened so suddenly. Any chance the accident that killed her wasn't an accident at all? Could someone have planned to kill Amanda first and then Doug? Also, did Amanda ever mention John- at all- in her social media?"

Agent Vogelthorpe spoke up. "I can answer the first part, Joe. I got the accident report, and it seems like a legitimate accident. Bad night; raining; and she had a BAC twice the legal limit. Drunk driving and poor weather conditions killed her - nothing else."

"And I can answer the second, based on what Vanessa told me and what I saw for myself," Nancy answered. "Yes, she did. It was almost… weird. She had posters of Gellers all over her Twitter feed; memes about how hot he was, things like that. That's why I think she would have tried somehow to go after his money. She never said he was Hope's dad, but it wasn't normal how obsessed she was with him."

Frank shook his head, and his facial expression revealed that he was in pain. "No," he muttered. "The timing is off. John died two years ago next month. The baby was born in September, six months AFTER he died. Who would she go after? John's parents died when he was 23 in a car accident and he was an only child."

"When did Callie start the Foundation?" Collig asked.

"Uh…" Frank moaned a bit. "He died in March right before JJ was born. I think July or August."

"So," Pat cut in, "Amanda would have known about the Foundation. The plan for extortion could have been in place for quite some time."

"It's possible," Collig agreed. "So do you all think that Fuller was in cahoots with her? She seemed to try to leave him."

"SEEMED," Nancy cut in, excited now. "Yes. I never thought about it like that. People lie on social media all the time. Facebook has picture perfect families and Twitter has people trying to be funny and Instagram has people competing for 'likes'. So maybe…"

"Maybe it was all a lie!" Joe agreed, starting to get it. "Maybe her past was her truth. Maybe she _was_ a groupie-John did say she pursued him, and he's not the kind of person to lie about that, especially not in a private conversation with his best friend. She probably wanted to play the innocent victim who was knocked up by a movie star. She got what she wanted."

"So- what?" Fenton asked. "You're saying that she created a false social media trail of her life? That she and Fuller were together and that he was _not_ abusive? That they were planning on using the baby the whole time to get money out of the Foundation?"

"Yes!" Nancy and Joe said simultaneously.

"There was no choice," Joe added. "She wanted to get pregnant- she did. She must have tracked Johnny to that club and did what she needed to do to gain access to him. When she found out she was pregnant, she probably did plan to go after John, but he died. Her plan was ruined, so she learned to accept her life with a baby- and who doesn't love a baby? But-" Joe stood now, pacing. "But then, when the JGF started, and Callie was so successful with it- BOOM- there was her opportunity. She just needed time to get a partner and figure things out- get Callie's personal information, watch and see if the Foundation would be successful- and it is. With the anniversary of John's death coming up, what better time to reveal it all? Bad publicity is bad publicity. So she could get the money and dump the baby. It's a win-win for her."

Frank wore his poker face, but Joe knew what was going on in his mind; he felt it, too.

"But then she died," Nancy added, cutting into his thoughts. "So now the boyfriend- Fuller- sees the opportunity to go ahead with the plan. Of all people, he wouldn't want the baby. She's not even his child. So he has to recruit help. What's on his social media?"

"A lot of contact with his brother, Brayden," Vogelthorpe answered. "A _lot_. And a lot of drug references. I agree now that the whole abusive thing may have been faked, but no doubt- Fuller was a junkie. Amanda looked clean at the time of death, other than the alcohol that day, but druggies stick together. He had a record. That's legitimate."

"What about Brayden Fuller?" Fenton asked. "Can we get info on him?"

Laura King, FBI agent in charge of child endangerment cases, spoke up. "There certainly can be, if you give me an hour."

"Then that's the plan," Collig noted. "We meet up tomorrow morning at 8 in the station. We start with every scrap of information we can get on Brayden Fuller and any of his known associates. Frank, we'll keep you and you, Pat, up to date. Both of you need rest."

"Any word on the Santitori case, Chief?" Pat asked, and Joe watched as Collig smiled the smallest degree.

"Why young Officer Merkel, it's good to see you back in the mix."

"It's good to kind of be back, Chief," Pat responded. "I'd like to formally tell you that it was Joe, by the way, who completely broke protocol the other day when I was shot. Or maybe it was me. I don't completely remember. I guess you can't formally charge either of us with anything major since the details are so fuzzy. I mean, Joe- do you remember anything?"

"About what?" Joe asked, innocently.

Collig shook his head as Fenton tried not to laugh and Nancy looked at them confused. The FBI officers had already left the room, starting the research.

"I could charge you both with any number of things, you pains in the asses," Collig replied, though there was no menace in his voice. "But we'll call it even if you can help solve this case."

Pat winked at Joe when Collig wasn't looking. "To answer your question, no. That poor baby disappeared. We haven't found the body yet."

Frank closed his eyes for a moment before speaking. "I… something's bothering me about that case," he said. "I… I…" he fumbled for words.

"You need time to think," Joe finished for him. "I know. Tell you what. Tomorrow, I'll send you and Pat all the info we have on the Santitori case. We also have a little boy missing now, a four year old named Thomas Rydell. That's why the feds are here- we basically have three missing child cases, and they're all awful. We'll see if one of the agents can tell you what they know tomorrow as well.

"Okay," Frank mumbled. Seeing how exhausted Frank was, and with the plan in place, the meeting broke up. Detectives Kirk and Voglethorpe left immediately, and Joe took Nancy aside, insisting she stay at Frank and Callie's house. She was going out of her way on this case, and he knew that Frank already would have offered had he been in his right mind. His brother's house would be crazy: he, Vanessa, and Evan; Nancy; his parents; Callie and her kids; probably Biff. Thank goodness they lived in a huge house. He bid goodnight to Pat and Sean.

Returning to his brother's room for a minute, he stopped by his bed. Frank met his eyes, and he looked completely overwhelmed. "How could anyone use a baby… John's baby… for money? Raise her in a home filled with drugs? God, Joe. It makes me sick." Again, he looked on the verge of tears. "He was like a brother to me."

"I know, bro. I get it. We will find that child. We have to."

Frank nodded weakly. "Please. Take care of Callie tonight," he whispered, hands balled in fists to fight off the pain. "She'll need you."

"Of course," Joe told him, gently. "Unless you want me to stay with you. I can."

"No. Callie," he repeated. "Please."

"Okay," Joe replied, his heart aching for Frank. "I'll have Karen keep an eye on you and Pat when she can. Please, Frank. Rest and take it easy. We all need you to think." He leaned down and kissed Frank on the cheek. "I love you. Nothing like a hospital to make a guy all mushy," he joked.

Frank managed to roll his eyes. "I love you too, idiot."

Joe smiled as he watched Frank fall to sleep almost at once. Yes, things were getting back to normal, starting to feel lighter than he had in a very long time.


	26. Chapter 26

**Note:** _I am so appreciative for all of the kind feedback and lovely reviews. Thank you for taking the time to read and for all of your support. I will be reaching out to all of you soon via PM again to say "thanks" personally if you have a registered account! On the last chapter, thanks to the following people for your reviews: Highflyer (that meeting with Frank and Nancy alone IS coming, eventually!), Paulina Ann, BMSH, Ritu (those happy moments will come sooner or later!), ChrisCorso, ErinJordan, sm2003495, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, hbndgirl, Drumboy100, Guest, Caranath, candylou, and Hero76. This chapter is pretty long!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 26

The next day at 6:30 a.m., Joe walked with Callie to Frank's room in the hospital. She was pushing the double stroller with a sleeping JJ, and Joe was carrying the diaper bag over his shoulder and Laurie in his right arm as Laurie looked with wide eyes all around, cooing. He kissed her nose and she giggled.

They stopped outside the room. "You're SURE you're okay being by yourself with the babies?" he asked Callie, who still looked pale and exhausted, but he could see the determination in her eyes.

"Joe, I'm fine. They're my _children,"_ she reminded him. "And my husband needs to see them for a few hours before you inundate him with case info." She looked into his eyes and Laurie played with his sunglasses which she had removed from his eyes outside. "Thank you for everything," she said gently.

"You never need to thank me," he reminded her. "I'm worried about you. Did you eat and did you take your supplements?"

"Yes and yes," she said with a small smile. "You sound like Frank."

He didn't take the bait. "You cannot overdo it, Cal," he told her, seriously. "It's early and days in the hospital are long. And-"

"And," she cut him off, "I belong with my husband. I did sleep last night," she reminded him. "Vanessa was amazing in helping to watch the kids so I could rest. So was your mom. They'll both be here before lunch and then we'll switch places so I can go home with the kids and they can visit Frank."

He tried to answer in an even tone when Laurie hiccuped and broke into giggles, causing Joe to laugh, too. Even Callie started chuckling. "This little one is going to light up Frank's day," he admitted. "Make sure JJ doesn't flirt with too many nurses and disappear somewhere."

"He does take after his uncle," she teased.

"That's my littlest best bud," he answered, smiling. "Next to Evan, of course."

She became quiet, shy almost, and then met his eyes again. "You really think you can find her?" she asked, biting her lip.

"I know I'm going to do my damndest to, yes," he answered, knowing immediately who she meant. "And I know we're a lot closer than we were even yesterday." Joe had filled Callie in on everything, no matter how hard. She had the right to know the truth.

She nodded. "I trust you." Then, she returned the smile. "And Biff will be meeting here at noon to pick me and the kids up and take us home. I'm well taken care of; don't worry. I will send Biff to you when he's done here. He's a good guy, Joe. Please thank Karen when you see her for all she did for me yesterday." She flushed.

"Hey," he told her, as Laurie focused her energy back to playing with his sunglasses, now trying them on upside down and looking adorable. "You have nothing to be ashamed about. Don't you ever doubt that."

She reached up and touched his cheek, and he winked at her. They didn't need words at this point.

Joe helped her get settled in the room, ignoring the surprised looks by the nurses on duty at this early hour. He knew people and had been able to pull strings to get Callie in to see Frank. "I'm going to get some breakfast, then I'll be back to see you and Frank before I head for the station."

"Okay," she told him as he handed his niece over to her and retrieved his glasses. Well, he tried to retrieve them. When Laurie looked like she would cry if he did, he sighed and chuckled. "I'll get them later, pretty girl," he told her, leaning to kiss her head.

At breakfast, Joe spent a good hour thinking about the cases. He spoke with Vanessa and Facetimed Evan, realizing how much he missed just sitting and playing with him; how much he needed alone time with Vanessa as well. Vanessa- his love, his life. How she managed to be so optimistic and loyal and strong at all times never ceased to amaze him and he knew, despite the very serious cases he was dealing with, that he would not forsake his promise to her. He returned all his texts from Tony, Chet, Liz, and even Phil, all of whom were worried about Frank and wanted to know how John's case was coming along. On the way back from the cafeteria, he visited with Pat and Jaclyn, who had also managed to stay overnight. By 7:30, he had returned to Frank's room.

When he looked in, he smiled softly. Frank was awake, and, despite his physical restrictions, he looked so happy that Joe's heart constricted momentarily. Callie was nestled on the bed next to him, his right arm securely around her waist, his head resting on top of hers. Laurie was cuddled into his chest between them both, now sleeping, still holding the sunglasses. And JJ was chatting happily and nonstop "Daddy this" and "Daddy that" and "Poor Daddy with boo-boos." It was an almost perfect family picture, minus the backdrop of the hospital, minus the space on Frank's left side, empty because of his injuries, but empty nonetheless.

And for the first time, Joe saw what Callie saw. There _was_ space for one more.

There was room for Hope.

He turned away, pondering the magnitude of that thought, and holding onto it… onto Hope.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Soon after, Joe found himself at the station, where he was meeting with Nancy, his dad, Detective Vogelthorpe, and Detective Laura King of the FBI. Detective Kirk was meeting separately with Chief Collig and several FBI agents to expedite the investigation on missing Thomas Rydell and Stella Santitori. Officers from various stations, state troopers, and FBI agents flurried about, each one looking serious. Finally, something would be getting done, and maybe they could begin making progress on these serious cases.

In the distance, he saw his dad and the other detectives speaking, and his dad held up a hand for Joe to wait a minute as his finished his conversation. With a shrug, Joe turned, and ran straight into Nancy.

'Hi, Nance,' he told her, and she gave a small smile.

"Long time, no see," she joked lightly.

Returning the smile, he pointed outside and, puzzled, she followed him into the cold air. "Dad is finishing his conversation, and he's not exactly the succinct type," Joe explained. "There's a little diner around the corner," he went on. "Come on. I'll buy you a hot chocolate and bagel- everything, right?

She looked surprised. "Wow. You remember that?" she asked him, following along.

"The old memory hasn't gone yet," he answered. "It's like me- it improves with age." He winked at her.

Nancy let out a small laugh and followed him into the diner, where he led her to a booth by the window.

Once they placed their orders, he met her eyes. "So, I wanted to thank you personally for sticking around, Nancy. You didn't sign up for this. I imagine you have cases at home that need your attention, and a husband who does, too."

"You're welcome," she said, sincerely. "I… I kind of welcomed the opportunity to reconnect with all of you. As long as we can wrap it by next week, we're good. Ned would really kill me if I missed our anniversary."

Joe smiled. "I'll bet. Wait. You didn't get married on Valentine's Day, did you? Kind of cliche, Drew, isn't it?" he joked.

Nancy laughed, and Joe noticed again how pretty she was, how her smile reached her eyes. "It really is," she admitted. "Ned and I decided that since I'm so unconventional and do nothing the old fashioned way, why not do something so completely expected?"

"That it would be unexpected. Got it," he finished for her. "How long have you guys been married?"

"Next week will be six years," she answered, gazing at her wedding ring. "What about you and Vanessa?"

"Three and a half," Joe answered, "but it feels like a lifetime, in a good way. We've been together nine."

"Ned and I have been together ten," she added. "It's crazy, right? The blink of an eye. What about Frank and Callie?"

Joe paused a moment, a part of him hesitant to say anything, but her eyes revealed no malice, no searching for nefarious reasons. "Forever," he said at last. "At least it seems that way. Fourteen years?"

"They seem very happy, even now- under these horrible circumstances," she replied, sipping the hot chocolate that the waitress had just brought over. "They seem to have built a nice life for themselves: a beautiful home and children. I'm happy for them."

Joe decided to just address the elephant in the room. They weren't going to communicate 100%, which was so very vital on all cases, if there was any hesitation between them. "Nancy," he said directly, "I know this must have been weird for you, to have received a call from Callie, who you met once or twice, after all of these years. I give you a lot of credit for coming, especially given your...complicated past with my brother."

Nancy flushed. "Joe, that is long over."

"You don't owe me an explanation," Joe told her, honestly. "It is really none of my business, and, believe it or not, Frank never told me and I never asked him what went down with you both all those years ago. I just wanted him to be happy, and, if I'm being honest, Callie and I, at that point in our lives, barely tolerated each other."

"Joe, we have all moved on," she repeated. Her expression was serious. "A decade has passed. You were both my friends, and … I mean, Frank and I were a little more than that a long time ago… but I miss my friends and I think it's a shame we don't see each other anymore. I'll admit- we did need the distance. But I hope now that we can bridge that gap."

Joe looked down for a moment, deciding how to approach this, then, as always, opted to simply speak from the heart. He covered her hand with his own. "Nancy, I have no problem with you. Frank might, but I think he just wants to avoid the past, because he feels immense guilt about it. Vanessa might- she's Callie's best friend. Callie damned well might. But you have shown a lot of class in coming here, and you've already been a help. I'm going to trust you that your intentions are pure, because let me assure you… I love my brother." He found his voice getting a bit thick, though he was able to control it. "And I adore Callie. She is one of my dearest friends in the world and I could not love that girl more. You coming here could be a major healing process for her, for all of you. I would like that. But as much as I like you- I always have- if I so much as think that Callie will be hurt by your presence, even though SHE asked you here- _I get it-_ I'll have to ask you to leave. I'll always look after her. And I don't blame you for a second if you think I'm a jerk for saying that. I clearly understand that you are doing US a favor." He squeezed her hand, then let go. "But my sister comes first."

Nancy let out a low whistle. "So how do you really feel?" she asked after a minute, and Joe chuckled.

"Joe, I get it. You and Frank are a team. I don't know what scenario you have in your head, but I married the man I love. Frank married the woman he loved. We barely know each other anymore. Honestly? I would like that to change. Callie reached out to me- granted, for a different reason- but now, I'm reaching out to you. I miss you guys. You could be critical contacts for me on the east coast, and I could be critical for you in the midwest. Plus, you know… we used to have fun…"

Joe nodded, looked at his watch, and grabbed his muffin. Nancy did the same, picking up her bagel. He held out his coffee to her, and she looked at him questioningly. "Shall we toast to a new start?" he asked her, watching as a smile lit up her beautiful face. She hit her hot chocolate against his coffee.

"You've got a deal, Hardy," she told him, and reached her free arm out to take the arm he had extended to her. "Now let's get these babies back and solve these cases. What do you say?"

"I say we've always been great at these super-mysteries," he replied, eyes twinkling. And they had been. He was starting to feel the adrenaline in his veins. In the absence of his brother, he still felt confident with his dad and Nancy Drew by his side. Too much was on the line here to let anything hinder their success.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As soon as they approached the office, Joe saw that his father was now waiting for them, along with Vogelthorpe and King. They all entered the conference room and sat around a large, circular table.

"Shall we begin?" Fenton asked. "Because time is of the essence."

Nancy spoke up first. "Absolutely. Now, I know that we're focusing first and foremost on the Hope Madison Gellers case, but, before we do, I think we all need to ask a question. It's highly unusual to have more than one small child, in the same age range and relative same vicinity, disappear at the same time. Is there any chance at all that these case are related?"

"We're exploring that," Vogelthorpe answered. "But right now, no. Baby Hope is out of New York, the Bronx, and we have a suspect in that case. The Santitori case is a beast; we had a suspect, and now he's dead. And he's a godfather, or he was, in a prominent mob family. There, we have a missing child who is presumed dead. Finally, we have the Thomas Rydell case. The only link there MIGHT be is between Santitori and Rydell, since their families were located in very close proximity to one another."

"So let's start with Hope," Joe spoke up, determined. "Special Agent King, were you able to find information on Brayden Fuller?"

Laura King nodded affirmatively and reached for several file folders, which she distributed to the group gathered. They opened them as she spoke. "We have our guy," she began, "no doubt. Where Doug Fuller was a lowlife, abusive addict, his brother was a dealer, and not a small one, either. He did jail time years ago for distribution, and he cut a deal to get out early by flipping his dealer. That's how we work- we want the big guys."

Fenton nodded. "Of course. Standard operating procedure."

"Well, what's not is that once Fuller got out, he laid real low. Never got in trouble again; met with his probation officers, things like that. Two months ago, he was a no show at a court visit, and he's been off the radar ever since. Officer Vogelthorpe?" She motioned for him to continue the story, as they had obviously been working on it overnight.

"I used every contact that I had," Vogelthorpe went on. "Put feelers on the street; tried to see who would provide some info. While I got nothing specific, I did find out that Fuller has been back- we think- as a major dealer, this time in the Bronx and Brooklyn areas. At least, we think it's him: he goes by Big Braid. I know- ridiculous."

Joe rolled his eyes before speaking. "So he kills his own brother? That's quite an escalation, no?"

"I've seen worse," Volgelthorpe answered, and Joe did have to agree with that.

"There's no loyalty among thieves," Joe replied, absently. "I assume their family was a mess, right? But didn't he keep in touch with his brother?"

"Now that's where it gets interesting," Vogelthorpe answered.

"May I?" Nancy cut in. She had been furiously looking through her own copious notes. "I think I know where you're going."

"By all means," Vogelthorpe answered politely, and Joe was impressed. For as much as a jerk as Vogelthorpe had always been, as much as he had harangued Pat at every given opportunity, he was, as Collig had insisted, a damned good cop. Pat had even told him that Vogelthorpe had checked in on him several times and had apologized to him, which would have been unheard of prior to Pat's shooting. It seemed as if almost losing Pat as a fellow officer had shaken him, and he appeared willing to ease up a bit, to do his job without the rancor, and Joe respected someone like that; who could admit his shortcomings and try to change.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt," Nancy began, "but I know what's been bothering me. I told you that Amanda Madison had a very active social media life, and that, we all agreed, it was all faked. You know, for all the pictures she had of Hope and her, not once was there any mention of "Mommy." The same goes for any pictures with Doug, and his social media. I think- god, I hate to say this- that the baby never knew a mommy or daddy in her life: just an Amanda. And that means that there was NEVER a connection between Amanda and Hope- she always wanted to be rid of that child."

Joe fought the anger that threatened to surface. Johnny's precious daughter treated as a commodity from birth was almost more than he could fathom. While it would have been horrible for anyone, Johnny would have loved that baby more than life.

"So I'm thinking," Nancy continued, "that when the Foundation got successful, and Doug's addiction got bad, it was THEN that they reached out to his brother, because the social media contact that I found only dates back a few months. Is that where you were going?" Nancy asked.

"Yes," Vogelthorpe answered, impressed. "There was no contact in that family either for awhile. Of the three of them, Brayden Fuller was the smartest and most dangerous by far, so he probably encouraged Amanda and Doug to continue with this fake trail. He would simply appear as the concerned and loving uncle, one who was trying to help his brother with his very real addiction. In the meantime, all that he saw was that his brother had a connection to the child of a very famous and very rich movie and television star. The plan began."

"And he's totally off the grid?" Fenton asked.

"It appears so," King replied. "We're on it, though."

"He's a problem," Fenton replied, grimly. "But I care about that child more. Where does a man on the run go with a baby? It makes me think…." He looked up, seriously. "There is a very real possibility that the child is dead. We need to be prepared for that. Be under no illusion that he has any reason at all to keep the baby alive."

"I don't know," Joe answered. "Normally, I'd agree with that. I mean, the guy is a loon and dangerous and killed his brother, for god's sake. But he has no history of kidnapping, and he might just think that the ONLY way to get the money IS to return the baby. Don't forget, we heard a baby screaming on cue as well. So I think we're okay… for now at least. I hope to god I'm right."

"Me too. In the meantime, the plan for today," King answered, "is that Callie Hardy will have to come up with the money. It's supposed to be dropped off in two separate bags at the abandoned apartment complex by the park across from the stop sign at 2:00 and the next one by the bus terminal on 8th and Providence at 5:00 tomorrow. The total will be a million dollars."

"They really DO need to come up with that money," Joe admitted quietly. "I'll talk to Callie today. I assume there will be a plan in place to nab him at the second drop."

"Yes," King nodded. "We can't risk the first one, though we will get a tail on him at that point. The chances of the baby being with him at the first stop are almost nothing. The final negotiation will have to have him name a place where the child will be found at the same time as the second drop. If he is smart, he would drop that child nowhere near the second stop and have officers go in the opposite direction. OR… he might have the baby with him the second time and literally trade the child once the drop goes down in a specific time period. That's why the first bag needs to be legitimate; so he knows the Hardys are serious. We will have officers and agents undercover all over. If that child is alive, we'll get her."

"There is NO WAY," Joe emphasized, "that I will let Callie do that drop. Over my dead body."

"Agreed," Fenton said.

"Disagree," Vogelthorpe cut in. "She HAS to. He will have done his research and know what she looks like."

"No!" Joe replied. "Absolutely not."

"I was Callie once," Nancy said simply. "I can be her again."

"What?" Joe asked. "Nancy, you're a good six or seven inches taller than Callie. You literally look nothing alike."

"Come on, Joe," Nancy argued. "Callie wasn't famous. No one knows how tall she is. She was photographed with John Gellers a few times, but he was tall and she was in the background. She's very careful with social media; all she has is Facebook and that's on the highest privacy levels."

"How do you even know that?" Joe asked, shocked.

Nancy smiled. "I'm a detective, remember? I couldn't ignore Callie; she's the link to John. All this guy knows is my voice. I have access to different color contacts and wigs or, you know, hair dye. Believe me, the guy won't be scrutinizing me; he'll be looking for my money."

"Could that really work?" Joe asked, doubtful.

"It might," Agent King said. "Are you familiar with undercover work?" she asked.

"You could say that. Several dozens of times over the years," Nancy added, matter of fact.

"That's true," Joe added. "Are you up for this, Nancy? It could be danger-"

"Joe Hardy, please tell me you're not worried about the poor 'Girl Detective.'" She gave him a pointed look.

Joe stared right back. She was right. "It WILL be dangerous," he said after a minute. "But you know that, and you are the best qualified to handle it."

"Thank you," she replied, exasperated.

"You're welcome." Joe replied, unable to keep his mouth from curling into a small smile. "And I apologize."

"So let's plan it," King said to the group. As they discussed the next move, Chief Collig burst into the room with Detective Kirk. "We have to go now. Major lead on the Rydell case, and time is of the essence."

Joe looked at his father and nodded.

"Joe," Fenton told him, "I want you to go to the hospital first- see your brother. He needs to know what's going on with Gellers's case, and he and Callie need to give you access to those finances. I'll let you know what's going on, and then you'll meet us- wherever- and see if we can't help out with the Rydell case."

"I'll stay here with Officer Vogelthorpe and Agent King," Nancy said evenly. "Go- now, guys. There are two children we need to rescue- maybe three."

"We're sure as hell going to try," he said, and followed his dad and Collig, along with several other agents and officers, out of the room. He had to call Callie on the way, had to touch base with Biff as well, whose schedule would be a major mess today. But, for the moment, all he had in his mind was the image of that four year old little boy and John's daughter.

And today and tomorrow would determine if they lived.


	27. Chapter 27

**Note:** _I am most appreciate for the ongoing support for this story. Special thanks to those who were so kind as to leave a review on the last chapter, which made my day, as always: Hero 76, Drumboy100, sm2003495, hlahabibty, Paulina Ann, ChrisCorso, hbndgirl, EvergreenDreamweaver, max2013, ErinJordan, Caranath, BMSH, HighFlyer (so glad I know who you are now!), and candylou._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 27

Joe glanced quickly at his watch, noting it was almost noon. He hoped he could catch Callie, and maybe Biff, along with Frank; discuss what his dad had told him on the way over. A sense of impending doom hovered over him.

Turning the corner quickly down the hallway to Frank's room, he ran right into Callie, who gasped and jumped back. He could tell that he'd scared her.

"Cal!" he called to her.

"Oh my god, Joe!" she exclaimed, covering her chest with her hand. "What- what's the matter?"

Joe paused a brief moment. He had intended to talk to both her and Frank at the same time, but maybe this would be better. Letting Callie know the plan would avoid his brother freaking out about any potential danger at all that she could be in, and then he could speak privately and quickly with Frank about both cases.

"Come with me," he told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her into the nearby waiting room which, again, was mercifully empty. Once they arrived, he spoke calmly about everything that had transpired in the past few hours, trying to ignore the range of emotions on her face. Like him, Callie had always worn her heart on her sleeve. Unlike him, she didn't have a poker face when needed. He watched her confusion, horror, shock, anger, denial and defiance; ultimately, she just silently took it in, and he saw how hard she was trying to hold it together. "Cal," he finished gently, "where are the kids?"

"They're with your mom and Van. Frank was just saying goodbye to them." She spoke quietly.

"You need to have Van and mom take them to …. I don't know… I guess my parents' house. They need to be away from all this. Then, go with the two FBI agents downstairs to arrange a special money transfer. It's not like banks just give a million bucks out to people without plenty of prior arrangement. Fortunately, the feds will back you and they can make things happen. You DO have the money, right?"

She nodded weakly. "Yes. It's everything we have, but Frank and I will do whatever we have to. If we lose the money, we'll deal with it, as long as we find Hope. Do you think she's okay?" Her eyes begged him to assure her.

"Callie, I don't know," he told her, honestly.

She sat down, shaken, and Joe sat beside her. "Are you sure it's a good idea for Nancy Nickerson to impersonate me?" she asked in a trembling voice. "I don't want to risk the baby's safety. I'll do it, Joe. I will."

"You won't," Joe told her, slipping his arm around her. "This is the best plan. Fuller heard HER voice. But you have to lay low and stay the hell out of the way once you get the money, because, IF there is a visual on you- and I don't think there is, but there could be- you can't be in two places at the same time. Go to my parents' house. I'll ask Collig and Pat's dad to get extra police coverage watching you, Van, my mom, and the kids… just in case."

She rested her head in her hands for a minute. "This is a lot to process."

"I know," he told her, kissing the top of her head.

She looked up at him, eyes teary, but eerily calm. On some level, he knew she was compartmentalizing. "I'll do whatever you need me to do. Don't worry about me."

"Go now," he said seriously. "Get my mom and Van and the babies and go. Two agents are waiting downstairs. Believe me, you won't miss them. I'm letting you go literally five minutes ahead of me. Clear the room. I need to talk to Frank. He's awake?"

"He rested this morning," she said numbly. "So yeah."

Joe nodded. "Keep in touch with me constantly; I know the cell phone situation is all mixed up, but please. I'll do my very best, Cal. I swear to you I will."

She stood along with him and turned to meet his eyes. "I know you will, Joe. Be careful. I love you."

"I love you too and I will." He hugged her tightly. "Go on," he told her, and, silently, he watched her leave.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

True to his word, Joe headed down the hallway quickly less than ten minutes later, hoping to get the show on the road here. Time was slipping away, and he needed to speak with Frank. This time, as though the Fates were conspiring against him, he ran right into Biff, who was coming out of Frank's room.

"Dude!" Biff said, instinctively reaching out his arm to block Joe. "What the hell?"

Joe sighed. "Biff, I need to see Frank."

"Well, I need to find Callie and the kiddies. I'm supposed to be driving her home, aren't I?" He raised his hands in a "what gives?" fashion.

"Look, bud- long story. You can head home. I'll call you."

"No way, Jose," Biff countered. "I talked to Pat before I got here, and he's getting better slowly. He'll be released in a few days, thankfully. But that means that you're down one police officer ally and one brother, and your other one isn't about to let you be your inevitable dumbass self with no backup. This isn't up for debate."

Joe paused, drained. Normally, he'd go right back at Biff without even thinking, but, if he was being honest, it _would_ be nice to have some company with a friend who demanded nothing of him and who could always lighten the mood. "All right," he said at last.

"Wait. What? You're actually listening to me?" Biff asked, incredulous. "Damn. Not only am I ridiculously good looking, but I'm also ridiculously persuasive and…"

"Ridiculous in general ought to cover it," Joe cut him off. "You have to listen to me, bro. If I tell you to get the hell out of the way or if I tell you that you can't be a part of something, do what I say. I can't argue with you today."

"Yeah, yeah," Biff replied, pleased.

"Go and get me an expensive large lunch to go and meet me back here in 15 minutes, and then we're off. Your treat on the lunch! Consider it the cost of embarking on a Hardy adventure." He smiled and pat Biff on the arm as Biff, grumbling, turned to go.

Joe entered his brother's room. Frank was sitting up, clearly waiting for him. As Joe got up close to him, though, to pull out a seat, he saw right away how pale Frank was, saw his bruises and stitches more clearly these few days later. Above all, he saw the way Frank's right hand was curled in a fist, how uncomfortable he looked. All of a sudden, Joe found himself centered again; calmer. Yes, he was dealing with terrible, urgent cases, but seeing his brother, who had almost died and was still clearly in pain, was enough to make him slow down, if only slightly.

"How are you feeling, Frank?" Joe asked him.

"I'm kind of concerned that my wife flew out of here, and that my mom and sister in law took my children so quickly and I have no idea why," Frank answered, eyes boring into his brother's.

"I'm going to explain that. They're okay," Joe answered. "But I'm worried about you."

"Damnit, Joe," Frank replied, on edge, surprising him. "Stop stalling. I want to know what's going on. What do you want me to say? How do you think I feel?"

"I-" Joe began, taken aback.

"I can barely move the whole left side of my body. Everything is on fire. It hurts to breathe and move. I feel like I'm being stabbed every time I shift at all."

Joe looked down.

"But I don't regret it at all, because YOU are alive and I will be okay. The fact that you are safe is all the matters to me, so please stop feeling guilty. I'd do it again in a heartbeat and I know you would do the same for me."

Joe raised his head again.

"Joe," Frank stated, slowly, "I don't mean to jump down your throat; I really don't. I'm sorry. I just can't talk about the pain right now. I want to feel useful. I want to find my friend's little girl- I HAVE to, for him and for Callie. I still feel like I'm missing something that could have cost Stella Santitori her life. And I can't help my brother because I'm stuck in a hospital. It's so damned frustrating."

"I know," Joe told him. "Listen, Frank, I promise to keep you informed about everything as best I can. Let me tell you what I DO know." Over the course of the next ten minutes, Joe filled Frank in on every detail of what they knew and what the plan was going to be. Frank listened stoically, but Joe knew that though his face revealed nothing, his mind would be going a mile a minute.

"So Callie will be withdrawing the funds with the agents and Nancy will be acting as Callie?" Frank confirmed at last.

"That's the plan," Joe replied.

"It could work," Frank quietly responded. He released a breath slowly and looked away momentarily. "This doesn't look good for Hope being found …alive."

"I know," Joe told him, compassionately. "But I believe she's okay now. I have to believe that, Frank. So do you. It's all we have."

Frank nodded as he turned back to him. "You're right. So what's happening with the Rydell case?" he asked, and Joe had to smile. Frank HAD been paying attention after all.

As he relayed the latest information, though, the smile left his face immediately. "Tommy Rydell has been missing for a few days. Police have been scouring the area; he was taken right from his home, in the same general area as Stella Santitori."

"In the same manner," Frank added. "No news on Stella?"

"None," Joe answered. "She's vanished. We just have the blood at the scene, the little shoe, and the Barbie doll. But that case is cold. It doesn't look good."

"It can't be," Frank told him. "Children don't disappear, Joe." He shifted slightly, unable to hide the grimace that momentarily crossed his face. He continued a minute later, getting his bearings. Joe felt terrible for him, but he did need Frank's insight if they were ever going to solve these cases.

"I get it, Frank, but we have the best of the best on this case. We have nothing."

A look of concentration came over Frank's face. "Huh," he said at last.

"What am I missing?" Joe asked, curious.

Frank went to shrug and moaned softly, cursing under his breath. "Sorry," he finally went on. "I forget that I can't quite move my left shoulder well yet." He gave a weak smile before continuing. "I'm thinking a lot, actually."

"Go on," Joe encouraged.

"So if we have the best players on the team, why are we losing?" Frank started. "That's what's been bothering me; one of the things, anyway."

Joe waited patiently for his brother to go on.

"I mean, unless the players are throwing the game," he said thoughtfully.

"What?" Joe asked. It took him a minute. "You're not suggesting that someone from BAYPD is involved, are you? Or from the FBI? That's kind of crazy, Frank. They're good people."

Frank met his eyes. "Joe, I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. I mean, WE are pretty much law enforcement. And most everyone is good. But we've dealt with corrupt cops before."

"Collig wouldn't have it," Joe replied adamantly.

"Joe," Frank repeated calmly, "Please. Be logical. Just don't rule it out. If there's any possibility, you all need to be extra careful. Talk to Collig. And, I don't know… ask Pat, maybe. He's always had a good read on people. What about that guy?"

Joe looked at Frank, glad he both knew the signs of confusion resulting from a concussion and that he knew Frank so well. "What, Vogelthorpe? Nah. He's a jerk, but I think he's okay."

"Just check him out," Frank insisted. "And tell dad and Collig."

"All right," Joe acquiesced. "I disagree, but I'll do it."

"Good," Frank responded, relieved. "There's just so much going on now. All the stuff with the ransom demands and the kidnapping gone wrong and everything- it's like Hope's case and Stella's case are similar. Did… you happen to do the drug thing?"

Joe tried to sort through Frank's intentions without embarrassing him about being unable to think straight, literally. He knew the effects of a concussion, at first, could be pretty bad, and he knew that Frank was upset that he couldn't find the right words. "Drug thing?" Joe asked.

"With… Jessica and Josh?" Frank tried to explain.

"Uh…" Joe began, at a loss. "Wait. You mean the drug test they took? The results?"

"Yeah," Frank replied, happy that Joe understood.

"You know," Joe began, "I think everyone has been so busy with the other cases and everyone just assumed that the drug test would be positive… did anyone even check? And why does that matter?" Joe asked, curious. "I'll follow up for sure, but why is this even relevant now?"

"Jessica told me...that she and Josh were clean. She said he just… drank." Frank's words were slower now, but he was retaining his focus.

"Okay," Joe acknowledged, "but so what? He's dead. Stella is still missing."

"I don't know, Joe," Frank replied, closing his eyes for a minute. When he opened them again, he looked almost defeated. 'I guess I'm grasping at straws. Look at what is going on with the Fullers. Doug Fuller is dead; murdered by his brother. Josh Flagstone is dead; murdered. They both had serious addictions in the past. They both weren't the biological fathers of kids they lived with. They both had relatives who didn't trust them and got mixed up in things over their heads. Jessica's brother, Lorenzo, contacted us initially- he hated Josh, according to Jessica. Clearly, Brayden hated Doug, or wanted to use him at least."

Joe was trying to follow the disjointed thoughts of his brother, because he could see things starting to connect in between.

"Keep going, bro," he said gently. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Biff by the door and held up his pointer finger. Biff nodded, understanding, and slipped back into the hallway.

"There's just a lot," Frank repeated, quietly. "I have more things that still bother me about that case. But with all the parallels, I thought… you know…"

"That they're connected?" Joe asked.

"No," Frank answered, despondent. "That maybe if we can figure out what went wrong with Stella, we can save Hope."

Joe reached over and touched Frank's forearm. "I sure as hell will do my best, Frank. I promise you."

"I know," Frank replied. "You always do. I wish I could help."

"You ARE heping. Right now. Right here. You're helping me to think through things in a different way, like you always do. So get it out. What else is bothering you?"

"What went wrong in the exchange for Stella?" Frank asked. "I don't understand, even now. Why did Tanzini initially deny any involvement in the case before he changed his mind? What kind of long established criminal- a godfather, no less- leaves a phone recording implicating him, a call that he would KNOW would be recorded? Godfathers don't deal with petty level criminals usually. It doesn't make sense- any of it."

"So you want me to look into that more? I will," Joe assured him. "And to talk to Collig and see if I can dig a little about outliers in the law enforcement field. And look into that drug test, to verify that Jessica was lying."

"And to look after Callie and to find Hope. That above all," Frank reminded him.

"And to get on this Rydell case. I think there's a break now. There's a lead I have to check out with the feds and locals. It's a lot," Joe admitted, "and I'm not sure how I can get this all done, but I will."

Finally, Biff stepped in, serious for once. "I'll be by your side to help."

"And so will I," a voice added, and, as Joe looked up, Sean Merkel walked into the room, in full uniform. "I have a promise to keep." He looked right at Frank.

Frank finally smiled. "I think I'll ask Pat to visit soon," he said, simply. "Later today."

"Sounds good," Sean said, returning the smile.

"WHAT is going on?" Joe asked completely confused.

"Just get going," Frank encouraged him. "Be careful. Keep in touch- please."

"Will do," Joe said, getting up to leave and waving at his brother briefly.

Frank watched the three of them leave together- Joe, Biff, and Sean- and, for the first time, allowed himself to believe that, finally, a huge break was coming. He needed that break.

They all did.


	28. Chapter 28

**NOTE:** _Thanks so much for the ongoing support for this story. If you include this chapter, there are ten chapters left, and they're all pretty lengthy. Thanks specifically to the following people who left much appreciated reviews on the last chapter: Hero 76, sm2003495, ChrisCorso, Drumboy100 (your detailed review was amazing!), hbndgirl, max2013, HighFlyer, Caranath, hlahabibty, BMSH, candylou, ErinJordan, and EvergreenDreamweaver. You all make a difference and I always look forward to what you think! FYI: The beginning of this chapter ALLUDES to something happening with one of the missing children, but I left it purposefully ambiguous to offer some hope. Nothing is graphically described at all._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 28

Joe felt his heart pounding hard as he tried to clear his line of vision on this freezing cold night. He'd arrived with Biff and Sean at the station, and then all hell had broken loose. The feds, working in conjunction with the BAYPD, finally had hit a major break. An anonymous call had come in claiming to have spotted what looked like Tommy Rydell in the company of Benjamin Platt.

At first, the name hadn't been familiar to him, but, as they prepared for action, he knew. During Frank's initial interview with Jessica Santitori, he and the detectives, and numerous officers, along with Chief Collig and Fenton, had searched the neighborhood door to door. One of the names of interest had been Platt, a known child molestor, who had been registered on the state's sex offender registry and who had, therefore, raised an immediate red flag. At the time, Platt was not home. However, given the immediate link to the Tanzini crime family that had followed, Platt had become a nonentity.

Perhaps he had been lying in wait the entire time. A quick search of his files, confirming his prior 'preferences', had confirmed detectives' worst fears, but Platt again hadn't been located.

Until now.

The plan was relatively simple. Get there as quickly as possible with as many officers and agents as possible, storm the whole area, and find that kid.

Joe swallowed hard. That kid, who'd been missing for close to three days now. That kid, who was in the hands of a monster. That kid, who very well might be dead.

He'd made Biff wait behind in his car, already breaking every rule even having him there, as he had a tendency to do. And now he was in the midst of the action, covering his own designated area alongside Agent Derrick Kranes and Sean Merkel. At least five troopers were on the scene, along with with officers from two nearby towns.

"There!" Sean called out, seeing a rustling movement in the distance. Joe looked up, and, sure enough, in the moonlight, he caught sight of a shadowy figure. As Sean radioed for backup, they took off at breakneck speed.

"To the left!" Sean huffed as they both scrambled into the nearby woods. Joe cursed as he tripped over branches, and, by the sound of Sean's curses as well, he was having the same issue.

"I don't see him!" Joe shouted. "Where did he-"

Almost at the same time he was speaking, Joe heard it: a loud banging noise. He knew the sound immediately- a rifle. And then, as he turned, he saw it aimed right at Sean.

Joe had no time to shout a warning. Using a tackle he hadn't practiced since college, he dove right at Sean, knocking him to the ground as bullets hit about 10 feet from them. Then, there was silence as the figure retreated again into the darkness.

"Ugh!" Sean groaned, grabbing his side.

"You okay?" Joe asked, looking around frantically.

"Good thing that guy has shitty aim," Sean managed. "Thanks, man. You ought to be a cop." He stood.

Joe shook his head. "And you should be a detective, Sean, and help me figure out which direction that asshole went in." He tried to catch his breath. "I think… left… he started running that way."

"Then left we go," Sean replied, breathing deeply. He reached down a hand for Joe and helped him up. "Look!" He pointed in the woods. "There're officers all around. Do not shoot that gun unless you have a direct line to Platt or you could take one of my brothers down by accident. Got it?"

"Yup," Joe replied, and, with Sean, they took off in the last direction in which they had seen Platt. As they searched, Joe smiled briefly. God, it felt good to be on the field again. The paperwork, the planning, the meetings, the stakeouts, the research; that was where 90% of being a detective came in. But he had to admit that he lived for this 10%. He had never worked with Sean before; he had worked mostly with Frank and often with Pat. And though they both knew him as he knew them, could anticipate what they would or would not do, Sean's confidence and fearlessness was admirable. It was almost as if his own big brother was there with him; a strange, yet comforting, feeling.

Before he could let his mind wander further, he gasped as he almost tripped over a small, hunched over figure, whimpering and shaking as he hunkered next to a tree. "Tommy?!" Joe asked, immediately recognizing the little four year old from the pictures he had been shown. He was alive! Shaking, bloodied, terrified… but alive.

As Joe moved for him, the little boy started screaming and scrambling back. In almost the same minute, Joe knew that the child had been used as a ruse. He heard the snap of a branch nearby and the cock of a trigger. All he could do was hope he could use his body as a shield now as he dove for Tommy. There was no way he would be able to avoid the hit and he prepared for the worst as he grabbed for the child. The whole thought process took five seconds.

"Crack!" The bullet hit its target and a piercing scream filled the air. Then, silence.

Joe looked up where Sean stood not ten feet from him. Yes, a shot had been fired, but by some miracle, it had been fired by Sean, not Platt; and it had hit Platt, not him. Sean had killed him. In less than a minute, at least four other agents and officers had approached the scene. Two headed for Platt; one immediately grabbed the still screaming little boy. Joe stood.

It was the sound of those screams, and the sight of the boy's soiled and bloodied clothing, that Joe knew would remain scarred in his memory forever. He turned and vomited three times before he was able to get his bearings.

It was only when he felt Sean's arm around him, heard him say in a low voice, "Don't do this; he's alive," that he nodded, turned, and slowly, shaking, walked away.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you okay?" Biff asked him several hours later. They were at Frank and Callie's house; Nancy was asleep in a guest bedroom, and Joe hadn't wanted to be alone. Frank was in the hospital still; the rest of his family was at his parents' house. He wanted desperately to hold Vanessa, to take Evan and wrap him in his arms and never let him go. But he couldn't do it; would not endanger them with the smallest chance that Callie was being spied on. He would have to wait, though he'd barely held it together on the phone when he had Facetimed them.

Sean had saved his life; he had saved Sean's. It had been crazy. Sean had also filled Biff in on what had occurred. Then, silently, Biff had driven him back here, not having said a word over the past few hours… and, for that, Joe could not have been more grateful. Biff just KNEW what to do as he'd sat beside him and flipped on the television to some meaningless station, and had handed him a hot cup of coffee.

"Yeah," Joe replied, stoically.

"I'd have gotten alcohol, bro, but I know you need to be sober in the morning." Because Joe wasn't drinking, he wouldn't drink, either. It was just an unspoken rule at this point in their lives.

Joe closed his eyes. _SHIT._ Nancy, Callie, Hope, Fuller… the whole damned thing would be going down tomorrow. He had somehow completely forgotten.

Biff went on, quietly. "I called Frank. I told him."

Joe nodded.

"And Sean called to check on you," Biff went on. "He said he needed to talk to you tomorrow about something weird that went down."

"Okay," Joe answered. Then, it was as if he needed to talk all of a sudden. "How does anyone do that to a child?" he asked Biff, rhetorically. He almost gagged again.

"Cause there are some sick bastards out there," Biff answered. "And that's why the good guys need to keep tracking them down. It's why you do what you do. Besides..." Biff hesitated for a moment. "You don't actually KNOW that he was... you know." Biff coughed, steadying his voice. "All you know is that the kid is alive, mostly because you found him in time. Focus on that, Joe. He may not have been ...THAT... he's okay now."

Joe tried to smile, but couldn't quite do it. "How do I protect Evan?" Joe went on, quietly. "And my other soon to be born baby? How… how do you raise a kid in a society like this where there's so much bad?"

"There's a lot of good," Biff said, simply. "That kid was saved because the good guys found him."

"And what kind of person can survive that happening?" Joe asked. "How does anyone ever get over that pain and trauma? They don't."

Oh, god. He realized it as he asked the question. _Callie._

Joe leaned back as it all hit him and he covered his eyes with the palms of his hands and fought tears.

"Need a hug?" Biff asked, simply. For once, he wasn't being sarcastic or an idiot. He was being the true friend he had always been; the compassionate, loyal, and giving person Joe knew him to be hidden beneath an entirely different facade.

Joe wiped back his tears. "I'm okay."

"Well, I'm going to give you one anyway," Biff said simply, and walked over to him, pulling Joe into a tight embrace.

Finally, overwhelmed with the almost certain parallel to Callie, the abject horror of the night with Tommy, and all that could go wrong tomorrow, Joe cried in his best friend's arms.

And, as he broke down, Biff, as always, lifted him up.

After a long while, Joe pulled back, exhausted, no more tears left in him. "Thanks, bro," he finally told Biff. "I'm sorry."

"You should be sorry," Biff replied lightly as he sat back down on the opposite couch.

Joe looked at him questiongly.

"You ruined my new shirt and you're keeping me up past my bedtime. I may miss my beauty rest," Biff answered with a straight face. "Selfish bastard."

For the first time all night, Joe laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joe woke very early the next morning, after having only slept a few hours. Biff had fallen asleep at some point in the night on the sofa, which, though large, did not quite contain 6'5" Biff's frame.

He walked to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and splashed cold water on his face, wrote Biff a quick note and grabbed the car keys, not bothering to shave. Everything would be going down tonight, and he had a ton to do before then: touch base with King and Collig; coordinate plans; go through everything with Nancy again; speak with Van and Callie. But he would take the next few hours to see Frank, tell him what had gone down; check on Tommy's condition; talk to Sean; follow through on his promises to Frank about the drug tests and the police officers. Maybe he would even be able to see Pat and ask him for some help; certainly, he could talk to his dad.

What hell the last two weeks had been.

As he started the drive to the hospital, he stretched wearily. He hit the hands-free icon on his steering wheel. "Call Sean Merkel," he said out loud. Might as well start now.

"Calling Pat Merkel," the system replied. "Is that correct?"

"No," Joe sighed wearily. "Call _Sean_ Merkel."

"Calling Chet Morton," the system echoed. "Is that correct?"

"Holy shit! No!" Joe yelled into the air. "Call _Sean Merkel_!"

"Calling Chief Collig," the GPS went on, unaffected. "Is that correct?"

"God damnit!" Joe exclaimed, realizing that all the cursing in the world wouldn't change his crappy Bluetooth connection, and he gave up. "Yes."

"Would you like to call Chief Collig at station or cell?"

"Cell," Joe replied.

"Calling DAD," the system responded and began ringing.

Joe finally laughed in spite of himself. What the hell? Good thing he had so many calls to make. Talking to his father would work as well.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey. How's my favorite brother- in- law?" Vanessa asked as she knocked at the door to Frank's room.

Frank looked up when he saw her. "Hey," he responded. "What are you doing here? My brother should be on his way and it's so early and…"

"And I wanted to see you," Vanessa reponded, leaning down to kiss Frank's cheek. "I know you have a really long and scary day ahead of you, and I figured you could use some moral support." She sat in the chair opposite his bed.

Frank managed a small smile. "I thought you were with my mom and Cal."

"I was," she added. "I'll fill you in. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he told her, briefly.

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Listen, enough with the heroics, Frank. I thought we'd gotten past the politeness and we have a real relationship, a real friendship now. Am I wrong?" she asked him directly, her lips curling in a smile.

"No, but…" Frank began.

"Exactly. No 'buts'. You are my brother -in- law and the husband of my best girlfriend and one of _my_ buddies, too… and you have no choice but to cut the crap and be honest, because that's how I roll." She winked at him.

Frank let out a small laugh. "My brother married the perfect girl for him, you know that?" he asked lightly.

"Damn straight, and don't think he doesn't know it," she replied, chuckling. "Anyway, it's been a few days. Are you in much pain? How much longer until you can leave?"

Frank met her eyes, and, slowly, reached for her hand, which she took. It was new for both of them, this more tactile and overt affection, and much less organic for Frank than for her. But he was trying, as he cared about her a lot. "A few days, I hope," he responded. "I think I can sign myself out tomorrow if they'll let me, but I'll be back and forth to doctors' offices for months." He sighed. "What sucks is that I have to use a wheelchair for a while."

"No way! Why? Crutches won't do?" she queried.

"They WOULD do and they WILL do- eventually," he explained. "But my shoulder is still really hard to manipulate and I can't put the pressure of crutches on it, especially not with the broken ribs and internal stitches."

She nodded sympathetically and squeezed his hand. "Is your head causing you the most pain?"

"No," he admitted honestly. "I'm starting to feel a little better- just normal pounding now," he joked lightly. "My knee."

"Bad?" she asked.

Frank looked into her blue-gray eyes, alight with concern, and he felt himself calm down a bit. 'Bad' didn't begin to cover it. Even with the strong medication, this injury was, hands down, the worst physical trauma he had ever endured. He'd barely slept all night, as if he could have anyway with everything going on, with the excruciating pain. But he had to dismiss it. So many other things were more important. "It's probably safe to say I won't be running a marathon anytime soon," he added weakly.

Vanessa rubbed his hand gently. "Well, good. I guess you and Joe WON'T run it together AGAIN this year," she said with a dramatic sigh, knowing that Joe hated being forced to exercise... ever.

He laughed softly. "Thanks for coming," Frank went on, sincerely. "What-"

"Am I doing here?" she cut him off, anticipating the question. "A lot of things." She gave him a small smile. "I mean, obviously I've missed you. But … so many reasons."

"You've got a captive audience," Frank told her with a small smile and soft eyes.

"I'm worried about Joe," she began truthfully. "I don't want to pretend with you that I'm not." She reached into her purse for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes as she released Frank's hand. "I know that we're not nearly as close as Joe and Callie are, Frank, but I want to try. Because I think we need each other."

"I'd like that," Frank agreed. "Of course I would. Why are you worried, Van?"

"Because you know he's pushed past the breaking point now," she said quietly. "Almost losing Pat, then you, in a matter of a day or two was devastating for him. He's traumatized over what happened to that precious little boy," she went on, voice warbling. "He knows there's another girl missing. He's scared to death that he's going to screw up today; that something might go wrong, and that he could not live with himself if he couldn't save Johnny's girl. How could he face himself, or you, or Callie?"

Frank took a shaky breath. "Vanessa," he told her. "Please- look at me."

She did, noting the pained expression on his face.

"Van, I feel helpless that I am not with him. HELPLESS. That child is already so important to me and Callie."

"I know," she sniffled.

"But, god forbid, anything _does_ go wrong, and we don't get her- I would _never_ blame Joe; I can assure you that Callie wouldn't, either."

"Frank, I DO know that," she told him. "But I also know Joe. He feels everything so deeply even though he has this happy -go -lucky facade and jokes around all the time. He loves you so much. He would never forgive himself." She sighed before going on. "And I don't mean to burden you with this. Callie is a nervous wreck and she's pretending to be strong for everyone. You, I imagine, are scared to death, too; I know what finding this child means to you. Sorry," she finished sheepishly. "I'm a bit forthright at times."

" _At times?"_ Frank repeated with emphasis, and it had the intended effect as she reluctantly smiled. "Van, I have been with Callie a long, long time. You're practically a shy and retiring wallflower next to her when it comes to speaking your mind. Don't worry-the Hardy brothers like strong women." He winked at her. "We will do our best and pray to god it works out. Hope is my #1 priority. Know what #2 and #3 are?" he asked.

"What?" she responded.

"Stella Santitori is #2 right now, and then you, Vanessa. I swear to god, we will find out about your dad. And thank you for allowing Joe to tell me. It... it means a lot to me."

Vanessa wiped away tears. "Well, you mean a lot to me, Frank. I love you."

Frank smiled at her. How like Joe she was, so free to express herself, so unafraid of vulnerability. It was a beautiful quality they both shared. He was like that only with Callie and his children, not being able to tell them enough, to show them, every day how they were his entire world. Words came so easily with them and yet were so difficult with almost anyone else. Still, he'd learned to be more expressive than before with Joe as well; and admittedly, they were closer than ever because of it. "I love you, too, Vanessa," he told her, quietly, simply. "Please don't be afraid."

"I'm trying," she admitted, impressed by his expressiveness which she rarely saw with Frank's gentle, quiet nature.

"Tell me something good; something that's- _Vanessa-esque,_ " he went on. "I need some good news from your bubbly self."

Vanessa smiled and laughed softly. "Okay. Well, Evan just said "gamma" yesterday."

Frank furrowed his brows. "What? Like gamma ray?"

Vanessa burst out laughing. "No, you nerd. Gamma as in 'grandma.' Your mom is thrilled."

"Oh," Frank replied, blushing, a little self-conscious.

"And let's see," she went on. "I have kept my mouth shut about Nancy Drew Nickerson. I may even kind of get along with her now. That's progress."

"Mmmm," Frank intoned, knowing better than to fuel that fire.

"And…" She paused, and he could tell that she was literally deciding if she should say something.

"Uh oh," Frank said. "You actually look like you're holding back. Don't start that craziness now."

She smiled shyly. "There IS something," she said after a minute. "I'm not quite sure how to tell you this. Joe and I wanted to sit down with you and Callie together, but god knows when we'll have time."

"Uh… well, I know you're pregnant, so short of that? No idea."

Vanessa leaned forward against the guardrails on the bed, moving closer to Frank. "So…." she began. "Joe and I have sold our house."

"What?" Frank asked, shocked. "When? Why?"

"About a month ago," she replied. "Because it's too small with our growing family." She patted her burgeoning stomach. "I'm pretty sure this little guy will be it for us," she admitted. "MAYBE one more, but not for awhile, and probably not at all. It's… hard," she said, simply, unable to speak to him as openly as she was used to doing with Callie.

"It's the hardest thing in the world," Frank agreed. "And parents get no rulebooks. Did you find a new place? When do you have to be out?" he asked her.

"That's the thing," she told him. "To answer the first question, yes. We're really excited- we've been talking about our forever home since we've gotten married. We hired an architect and we're working with Biff's company- he'll be building our new house."

"Wow," Frank responded. He'd been so occupied with his own troubles and insecurities that he hadn't even known about this; Biff had. He fought back the slightest twinge of jealousy, knowing how stupid it was to feel that way. To ward off the feeling, he joked, "Make sure he doesn't put in trapdoors and hidden staircases and things like that."

"I'll be on the lookout," she replied, chuckling.

"Where?" Frank asked.

Vanessa smiled brightly. "That huge undeveloped area across from the park on Whispering Hills. Biff's company will be developing all the homes there, custom, and he wanted Joe and me to get the best location. It's only ten minutes from you guys! It was crucial to both of us that our kids could grow up together with yours, and go to the same schools. And- well- we're doing it."

"That's exciting. I'm so happy for you," he told her, authentically.

"So… the second part. We're supposed to be out in three weeks, and already a lot of stuff is in storage. But even though the construction has started, the home won't be ready for another four to six months. And we're kind of homeless until then. We might stay with my mom or your parents. It was never really decided. But then a few days ago after you got hurt, we started thinking that maybe we… I don't know…could stay with you guys for a month or so? I really think that you need help, and god knows Joe would be with you anyway to do that. But we really don't want to impose," she insisted. "And we wouldn't be upset if you said no. It'd just give us a little more time to decide where to stay after that."

"Vanessa," he said immediately, "Callie and I insist you stay with us. We have the second Masters suite downstairs- we have a five bedroom house." He smiled at her. "And you will stay the entire time… not even up for debate. Having you and Evan and your dopey GoldenDoodle around might even make living with my slob of a brother again bearable."

"Really?" she asked, eyes bright.

"Really," he answered. "Totally, completely, absolutely. Talk to Cal today- if her reaction isn't exactly the same as mine, then I don't know her at all. She needs good news like this. Actually," he went on, seriously, "she needs a lot of support right now, and I can't give it to her." He thought of how much they were going through now, how badly he needed to hold her in his arms and keep her safe, how frustrated he felt that he couldn't do so. "So I would consider it a favor to me if you would do it."

"Thank you," she whispered, and leaned over to kiss his cheek again.

After another ten minutes or so, she headed out, excited to talk to Callie. Frank watched her go, grateful for such a wonderful wife for Joe, for such a sweet friend to him. He fought off the waves of pain in his knee, willing himself a few minutes of peace.

He didn't get it.

Before he could even settle in somewhat comfortably, he heard a noise. His dad, Joe, Sean, Pat, Nancy, and Chief Collig had arrived.

And they looked ready for action.


	29. Chapter 29

**Note:** _A lot of the mystery of Stella will be addressed in this rather lengthy (5300 plus word) chapter. Thanks so much to everyone who has Followed or Favorited the story. It makes me happy that you like it and I so appreciate the support and feedback. For your kind reviews on the last chapter, many thanks to the following people: Drumboy100, Hero76, EvergreenDreamweaver, Paulina Ann, ChrisCorso, Ella Tremaine, HighFlyer, sm2003495, Guest, hbndgirl, max2013, candylou, ErinJordan, BMSH, Ritu, and Caranath. You are all amazing!_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 29

"Uh… hi," Frank said awkwardly as everyone descended on his hospital room at seemingly the same time. While he had loved talking to Vanessa and she had provided a much needed distraction for him, he knew that the today and tomorrow would be terribly important; life-changing. He needed to concentrate.

At the same time, he wasn't used to being surrounded by so many people, even on a normal basis, and he found it disconcerting. Unlike Joe, he was reserved and a little shy on the best of days. Now, he felt almost overwhelmed by everything: the cases, the people, the facts, the sheer magnitude of what the next days meant. Plus, he felt terrible, knew he looked like a mess.

Joe seemingly sensed his discomfort as everyone began to settle in, because he leaned down, squeezed his forearm quickly, and quietly told him, "breathe."

"You just missed your wife," Frank managed. And, remembering her words to him and how much Joe had been through in the last day alone, he went on, "you breathe, too." He watched as that simple assurance brought the smallest of smiles to Joe's face, and he felt a little better.

"How are you feeling, son?" his dad asked him.

"He's fine, dad," Joe answered for him, and Frank suppressed a smile and mentally thanked him.

Fenton shot Joe a look, but Joe mouthed "not now" and, to his relief, his dad, for once, backed off.

"So where are we at?" Frank asked as everyone quickly settled in.

Joe took a deep breath and looked around. He updated everyone on what had transpired last night. As Frank listened, his heart broke for that little boy who was still in the hospital, but was mercifully now reunited with his parents. And, though Joe spoke matter of factly about everything professionally, he saw the pain in his eyes as the memories clearly came back strongly to him.

Frank also met Sean's eyes briefly, saw Sean give him the smallest of nods. He had kept his word to watch out for Joe, and Frank knew they'd be forever bonded over their younger brothers.

"Well, at least we got a resolution to that case," Collig said at last, and Frank watched as he quickly put his arm around Joe, a move so completely out of character for him that he was shocked. So, too, was Joe, though Frank noted he was trying not to show it. The only one who seemed completely at ease was Fenton. In that moment, that small gesture, Frank saw the man who he had grown up knowing as "Uncle Ezra," not "Chief Collig." It comforted him to see how very many people loved his brother.

"Not a great one," Sean added, sadly. "But we have to move onto the Santitori case while we can."

"Did you find something else?" Frank asked.

"That's why we're here," Collig replied. "Apparently, some things don't add up. My people are on it, but Joe told me that you have some concerns about my officers. Frank," Collig went on, "you know damn well that my department is like my family, so before you say things like that, I would hope you have proof."

"I only said it to Joe," Frank replied evenly. "And I'm sure he explained why."

"I need more," Collig insisted.

"Let me start," Sean began. "I'm not a member of your department, but Pat is." He smiled at his younger brother who was standing quietly next to Joe. Despite the heavy bandages around his shoulder keeping his arm completely immobile, and his pale complexion, he was looking stronger and would be released soon, though his road to recovery would be long, and his future as a police officer uncertain at best. "But we all need to touch base quickly about what we know, what we think, and see if we can figure out what's happening."

Nancy chimed in. "And I'm completely outside on this one, since I've been working on the Gellers's case with Agent King and the BAYPD. But Joe and I have exchanged some thoughts, and he mentioned, Frank, that you saw some parallels to that case. Maybe a meeting of the minds would help here, because we have two very important cases to work on."

Frank nodded, looking down slightly. It was so strange seeing her again, and it brought up so many feelings he thought he'd held at bay. There was nothing between them anymore, other than the guilt he assumed they both shared. The crushing guilt would never leave him, as the aftermath of their attraction, which had seemed so innocent back then, had almost destroyed his life… and he would never forgive himself for what had happened to Callie in his absence from her as a result.

But it was more than that, too. Looking at Nancy was a curious exercise in what his life might have been like if he had let himself fall in love with her. He couldn't imagine ever not being deeply in love with Callie— she was his life, his everything—but having Nancy here made the 'what if' pop into his mind. Still, he had never really loved her; it had never gotten that far... but it could have, and he knew they both knew it.

Almost at once he felt his eyes go wide and he gasped. _Oh_ , _god_. He _got_ it now. It had taken her presence in front of him to truly understand what he had tried in vain to intellectualize. What he had accused Callie of— being in love with Johnny —was exactly the same thing. She had insisted, _begged_ him to believe that she hadn't been, that what could have been simply wasn't, but he hadn't really understood it until right now. He felt his face flush, deeply ashamed. Why had it taken him to this moment to understand? Silently, he apologized to his wife.

"Frank?" Nancy asked him, and when he looked up, he saw everyone looking at him, curiously.

"I… I'm sorry," he stuttered, caught off guard.

"I know it's hard with the concussion," Joe said smoothly, and met his eyes. Frank thanked god again that his kid brother knew him so well.

"No, go on," he said at last. "Nancy is right."

"Well," Collig began, "one thing that has bothered me since Joe brought it up was the drug test that Jessica Santitori and Josh Flagstone agreed to take." He paused for a moment. "Honestly, I had forgotten- why did it matter? They lived in a poor area; they'd both had a history of drugs. Hell, Tanzini's people were double crossed by Josh, which is why that baby is still missing. But I did check early this morning… and I'll be damned. It came back negative for both of them."

Frank nodded. "I thought it might."

"Why?" Pat asked, curious. "I mean, wasn't a bag of weed confiscated from the place? And that wasn't exactly hidden well."

"Gut feeling," Frank replied.

"You know, that's pretty irresponsible," Joe said with a straight face. "Logic is where it's at."

Everyone chuckled as Frank rolled his eyes. "Dumbass," he said, unexpectedly, making Joe laugh even more.

"Seriously," Fenton asked. "You're not known for hunches."

"Because there was something about Jessica Santitori I guess… I liked," Frank admitted. "She's been down on her luck; nothing has gone her way; she was looked at like dirt by the detective there. Plus, she was genuinely concerned about her baby and readily agreed to everything we asked her to do. She just looked like she was telling the truth."

"How did you get involved in this case again?" Nancy asked, adeptly picking up and assembling the pieces seamlessly.

"The brother- Lorenzo-" Fenton answered. "He actually called me before the police, and I had him call Ezra immediately after. I thought that was odd."

"Did he tell you why?" Joe asked, curious. He and Pat had been so busy with the Griffin case and Frank had handled the Santitori one, so now he was trying to put the pieces together as well.

"He told me that Jessica had called him hysterically in the morning that Stella was missing," Frank replied. "When I asked him why Jessica hadn't called the cops first, or why he hadn't, he deflected."

"Meaning?" Collig asked.

"Meaning he answered with questions," Frank explained, searching his memory for the exact conversation. "He implied that Jessica may have wanted to get rid of drugs in the home before the police came, but…. I don't know." He sighed. "If one of my children was missing, I wouldn't give a damn about anything other than getting help as quickly as possible, no matter what else I was doing."

"But she and Josh did have a drug problem," Nancy reminded them.

"Yeah, But DID is in the past," Frank answered. "I believe her when she says she's straight, and that Josh only drank. The drug tests proved that for her and, for him, I assume the autopsy would show the same thing."

"It did," Sean replied. "I had my dad call in a favor to confirm that."

"It still doesn't explain why she didn't call the cops," Joe replied, thoughtful. "When Stella was gone, period- why didn't she just call?"

"Unless…" Fenton cut in. "Huh. I'm just thinking… do we know that for a fact?" he mused. "Are we sure there were no calls to 911 immediately?"

"None," Collig confirmed.

Frank looked so deep in thought that Joe could practically smell the smoke from the wheels burning in his head. "What, Frank?" he asked.

Frank bit his lip and then spoke quietly. "Unless Lorenzo is lying."

"About what and why?" Nancy asked.

"I don't know," Frank admitted. "Jessica told me that he was always judging her; that nothing she did was ever good enough. He told me the same thing, basically— that their little trailer was no place to raise a child. And he was there when we arrived in his nice Mercedes, pretty damned calm, now that I think of it, for a guy whose niece was missing." He sat up a little straighter, wincing. When he caught his breath, he continued. "I know this sounds crazy, but… what if he was calm because he … "

"What? Staged it?" Joe asked. "That's out there and it doesn't make sense. Why? You mean he called in to 911 instead of Jessica doing so because he _knew_ the baby would be missing? I don't know," Joe said doubtfully. "Because nothing else would add up. Where's the baby? What the hell happened with Tanzini? Didn't he admit to it? That's what got people killed. You and Dad were there," Joe said.

"The place reeked of weed when I went, though," Frank admitted. "It doesn't make sense, given the drug results."

"You talked to him in Jessica's trailer, right?" Fenton asked. "That's what I remember."

"Yes," Frank replied. "Why?"

"Because she was outside with us and Josh Flagstone for a bit," he said. "And he was inside by himself."

"Wha-" Joe began, shaking his head. "What?! You're saying he could have called in the missing child because he knew where she was, and then planted the weed? That's nuts!"

"I'm confused," Pat admitted.

"Me, too," Sean said.

"Let's talk through this," Fenton said. "I don't care how improbable. What are the loose ends? Because right now we have one dead officer, two dead gangsters, one dead man, and a missing child… and zero leads. Keep going."

"What are you missing?" Nancy asked. "Frank, didn't you say that Tanzini confessed? That's why he was in the meeting, right? To negotiate for the stolen money from Flagstone? So why are we focusing on Lorenzo?"

"Just kicking around ideas," Joe replied, though he silently agreed with Nancy. Frank's ideas were a little out there on this case.

Frank sighed before speaking. His head was hurting, he felt clammy, and his knee throbbed incessantly, but he still had to make sense of everything. "Tanzini denied any knowledge of the kidnapping at first- he seemed completely oblivious to it. Later, he changed his mind. He left a recording that was played for the FBI investigators, and dad and you, Chief."

"I remember," Fenton said.

"I heard it, too," Frank went on. "It was pretty direct. Tanzini was willing to negotiate a return of the child in exchange for all monies returned with interest. He would appear with his nephew in an abandoned part of town, an old industrial plant where the specifics of the deal could be "laid out clearly."

"So what was the issue again?" Joe asked.

"Why would Tanzini leave that message, Joe?" Frank asked. "He's a well known criminal and wouldn't want to implicate himself, and all calls that come in here are recorded. On top of all of it, why the hell would he deal directly with Flagstone? He'd send someone else to take care of business. He'd kill him, or have someone else do it- kidnapping a child is too risky- and that child wasn't even Josh's."

"Can we get a copy of the message?" Fenton asked, and Collig nodded, taking out his phone.

"I'm on it," he said, and immediately began texting.

"There's something else what I wanted to say," Sean cut in. "I called Joe last night and spoke to Biff Hooper. Something weird happened and I can't shake the feeling that something was off."

"On the Rydell case?" Pat asked. "What does that have to do with the Santitori case, other than the fact that both families lived in the same vicinity?"

"Nothing," Sean replied. "Except that after the shit went down last night with that scum Platt, we were trying to get a lot done: get the kid to the hospital, get Platt to the morgue, and start the mountain of paperwork to explain the events. I killed a guy— and I'd do it again— but you have to dot your "I's" and cross your "T's" on a homicide case."

"Damned police protocols from the brass," Pat added, dryly, and Joe laughed as Collig stared him down. Joe smiled at his buddy, grateful beyond anything that he had survived and would be okay.

"What's your point?" Collig asked Pat directly, but Sean, ever protective and more serious than Pat, answered, "Sir, I'm just explaining the background of what happened yesterday. No disrespect intended."

"None at all," Pat replied with a straight face, and Joe didn't miss the tiniest, most fleeting smile he had ever seen on Collig's face when he heard Pat speak.

"What bothered you, Sean?" Nancy asked.

"That detective- I don't know his name- came up to me and tried to make me feel better about killing Platt. I guess he thought I felt bad- I didn't."

Joe nodded. Indeed, he understood that.

"He said that sometimes you have to cut corners and work with pieces of shit to get what you want in the end. He said that once he had to work with a druggie and he had to do what he had to do to make things work out."

"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Collig asked, aghast. "Who worked with whom over what?"

"I have no idea, Chief," Sean answered respectfully. "But the message was clear. Cut corners if you need to in order to get the outcome you want." He looked up. "Chief, I've been an officer a long time. You know my dad, Pat, and cousins. Your guy was right about working with shitheads sometimes, but I can't agree on anything else. You don't set up innocent people and you preserve the integrity of an investigation. It's been bothering me all night."

"That behavior won't be tolerated," Collig replied, furious. "What detective?"

"Vogelthorpe?" Pat suggested, a little too innocently.

"No," Sean replied. "Uh… Kurt?"

"Kirk?!" Collig asked. "You're sure? He's been around forever. You have to be sure."

"Yeah- that's his name," Sean verified.

Collig's lips were tight, and Fenton's brow furrowed. "Kirk's been around a long time," Fenton said at last.

"How much do you know about him?" Nancy asked.

"He's not a regular in our department," Collig replied, "but he's been around for years. He works high profile cases in Manhattan and Brooklyn, primarily, but he's called into other New York towns to help on major cases. He specializes in child abductions. I've known him a long time. I don't like this at all."

Nancy stood. "Let me see what I can find out about him," she offered. "I'm going to go downstairs for a few minutes where I can think … and get better internet connectivity," she added, wryly.

"Thank you," Joe told her, and she smiled softly as she left the room.

"Kirk," Frank went on, thoughtful. "I've met him a few times, and he was okay to work with. But… to be honest, I didn't like the way he spoke to Jessica. He looked disgusted by the scene. And that's okay, I guess, but it's not for us to judge people; just to help them. He was much more dismissive than other officers I have worked with."

"Being dismissive doesn't make him a criminal," Collig pointed out, offhandedly. He finally looked up from his phone. "Here," he said, holding it up. "I got a copy of Tanzini's message. Want to hear it again?"

"Go ahead," Fenton said, and Collig hit the speaker button. " _This is Tanzini. You know why I'm calling… about the child. Flagstone's girl. Call me back for the arrangement."_

"That's it," Collig said.

"Play it again," Frank said.

Shrugging, Collig did so. Then, at Frank's insistence, he played it at least four more times.

"I see it," Fenton said. "I know why that bothers you."

"What?" Joe asked.

"A high level godfather would not identify himself. Frank was right- he wouldn't get involved with a low level drug dealer, either. And if he did-" Fenton started.

"He would sure as hell know that Stella was not Flagstone's daughter," Joe finished.

"It's more than that," Frank said quietly. "I've spoken to him in the past. I was in on the negotiations when all hell broke loose. That's not Tanzini's voice."

"What?!" Pat asked, shocked. "Who is it then, and why did Tanzini show up?"

"I… I think…." Frank started, and he sucked in his breath, felt the color drain from his face. "That sounds a hell of a lot like Lorenzo Santitori."

Collig was aghast. "My head is spinning," he groaned. "That call came into the station."

"Did you trace it?" Fenton asked. "Who brought your attention to it?"

"No- why would I trace it?" Collig asked. "Fenton, there was no time and no reason. And Kirk- George Kirk again. He was in charge of the call- brought it to our attention."

"What if that's what he was talking about?" Sean interrupted. "Kirk. When he talked to me, he talked about involvement with a druggie. Lorenzo?"

"No," Joe answered. "Lorenzo Santitori was not a druggie. But Flagstone was… at one point. Hmmm," he intoned. "I have to think. If Lorenzo took the baby, and that's a big IF, why would he do that? And how… does he know Kirk? And when would Kirk have worked with Flagstone… and why?"

"I've worked with Kirk before," Pat said, and everyone turned to look at him, as he had stayed relatively quiet throughout the exchange. "I hadn't even thought about it before now, but… this is probably stupid," he ended. "Never mind."

"Pat," Joe encouraged, meeting his friend's eyes. "No, I'm sure it's not stupid. ANYTHING is helpful at this point, no matter how insignificant you think it could be."

Pat nodded after a few seconds. "The timing could totally be off, but why was Kirk at the station so fast?" he asked. "We got the missing child call on a Saturday. He was there at least Thursday or Friday… I think. Is that right?"

Collig nodded. "Yes. He was. He was investigating increased gang activity in the area and was sent in by higher ups in the city- or so he told me."

"Why would he do that?" Joe asked. "His specialty is child kidnappings, not gang activity."

"I didn't even think to question it," Collig admitted. "Detectives come in and out all the time. He's done other things before."

"That's not all," Pat went on. "I remember I was at the office, sort of shooting the shit with him, and he was talking about gang activity- you're right. He was saying something- asking questions about Tanzini's stolen money."

"So?" Collig asked.

"So," Pat replied, "Tanzini didn't know his money was missing until at least Saturday. How could Kirk be asking questions about money before Tanzini knew it was missing?"

"That's a very good question," Fenton replied. "Frank, are you sure that the voice you heard was Lorenzo Santitori's? We could get proof of it, but there's not much time."

"I think so," Frank replied. "I'm not sure, but it sounds like him."

At that moment, Nancy returned, and she looked serious. "George Kirk is an interesting guy," she began, addressing the room. "On the surface, clean as a whistle; decorated cop; highly advanced; competent. But, given the parameters of Stella Santitori case," she went on, "I started digging a little; then a lot."

"What did you find?" Joe asked her.

"He lives in a very wealthy area in the suburbs of northern New Jersey," Nancy began. "An area that seems to be out of his price range. I haven't had time to look into his finances, but still- it's suspect."

"Okay," Fenton encouraged her.

"And then, he's been very active in gang cases; specifically, MAFIA cases," she clarified. "It's been a focus of his as much as child abduction cases, apparently, over the past seven years or so."

"So you're saying he knew Tanzini possibly?" Joe asked. "And… what? He was working with him?"

Nancy raised her hands in a questioning manner. "I have no idea," she said. "But based on what you've filled me in about, maybe."

"So if he knew Tanzini, maybe he was working on getting him on something- some charge? That wouldn't be a bad thing," Collig answered.

"No," Fenton cut it. "It wouldn't be. But maybe he was working WITH him. And Flagstone?" Fenton ran a hand through his hair. "Why? What are we missing?"

"That's not all," Nancy added. "Kirk and his wife have been married for 25 years," she went on. "Again, clean marriage; no indication of anything untoward. But when I did a little digging into his personal records, I found something odd. He has a grown daughter- she is married- but no grandkids. He's been on the record talking about his daughter's series of miscarriages."

"So?" Frank asked. "A lot of people can't have children." He kept his expression neutral, but Joe caught the slightest tremor in his voice.

"So," Nancy answered, "it struck me as odd. It just doesn't seem to fit into the type of investigation in which he would be interested, unless he was on some sort of quest to save kids since he didn't have grandchildren, himself. Did you know that Kirk has also been spending a lot of time investigating illegal adoptions? Something is off."

Frank sat forward, and sucked in his breath quickly as his body screamed in pain. He felt nauseated and cold.

"Frank?" Fenton asked, moving to him.

"No," Frank shook his head. He raised a shaking hand to his forehead. "I… I might understand."

Joe had moved instinctively closer to his brother. He was starting to see how much pain Frank was really in, and that spoke nothing of the emotional agony he was dealing with regarding little Hope Gellers. But they were so close, and Frank was brilliant. He knew that Frank could hold on. He moved aside the bed rail and wrapped his arm around him in support. Not that it mattered, but he knew everyone in that room would understand, and they did, giving Frank a few minutes to steady his breathing.

"Five minute break," Collig said. They nodded, and the room slowly emptied.

"As soon as this is done," Joe told Frank, quietly, "I am sending in a doctor. This is too much for you with the concussion and the severity of your injuries. It's bad, isn't it?" He felt Frank trembling slightly.

"Yes," Frank finally answered. He turned weakly to Joe, barely able to keep his eyes open. He looked feverish, and Joe was worried. "God, Joe. I see it. But it's… so hard… to concentrate."

"Then tell me," Joe told him, holding onto him harder. He leaned his head against Frank's. "You can do it," he told him quietly.

"Okay," Frank replied, closing his eyes. Everytime he breathed in deeply it hurt. "Kirk," he began through gritted teeth. "It's just a theory," he half-moaned.

Joe rubbed Frank's good shoulder. "Shut up," he told him gently. "Just get to the point."

Frank nodded weakly. "Let's say that Kirk started out good," he began. "He investigates kids; does good work. Maybe feels like he can help kids when he can't have his own. But then he starts developing a God complex. He thinks he can save the world, and everyone tells him how good he is, and… he is. So he gains a feeling of superiority."

"Uh huh," Joe said. "Go on." He had no idea where Frank was going, but he had to help him get through it.

"Fast forward a few years. He starts working on cases and scrimping off the top when it comes to drug deals - the mafia is involved in a lot of trafficking. He knows a lot of people, from the cops to the mob members to the addicts. They help each other out. He feels entitled to cutting corners because he's getting the bad guys. That explains his financial stability."

"Can you get to Stella?" Joe asked.

"Tanzini is-was- a pretty famous godfather. He would have known him. Keep that in mind."

"Keep going," Joe encouraged him.

"So let's say that Josh Flagstone DID steal money from Tanzini. Kirk would have investigated that case. Maybe Josh came to him for help if he feared retribution. Or maybe a mole came to Kirk looking for a favor and turned Josh in. In either case, Kirk knew about the missing money BEFORE Tanzini found out."

"Makes sense," Joe told him. "But what about Lorenzo?"

"He's wealthy," Frank went on, weakly. "And his sister is dirt poor. I looked into that-their whole family came from poverty. What's the quickest way out of poverty?"

"Crime- drugs," Joe commented. It was starting to become clear. "So you think that Lorenzo and Kirk came into contact? I see," Joe told him. "And one day they made a connection, where Lorenzo confided about his sister living in poverty and the fact that his niece deserved better."

"Yes," Frank whispered. "Eventually, they conspired to stage a fake kidnapping to teach Stella''s supposedly "neglectful" mother Jessica a lesson - a moral one- on what happens when you don't raise a child 'properly.' Lorenzo wouldn't want his niece raised as she was, and Kirk would be resentful when he would have wanted more kids in his own family. They used Josh Flagstone, whom they both hated, as a pawn. He was in trouble with Tanzini, or he would be, so Kirk offered to intervene. He had Lorenzo call, pretending to be Tanzini, who would have known better than to ever leave that message. Then, Kirk contacted the real Tanzini, probably offering to have a lead into getting his money back."

"And when Tanzini realized that he was, in fact, missing the money, then he was furious, and would have agreed to a meeting, for sure. Kirk could have lied and said that the ruse would involve a child- Tanzini would not have cared. But he would have brought backup, and he did. Tanzini thought he was dealing with Kirk, not Flagstone, and that if Kirk was helping him, he would help Kirk, eventually. Holy shit. This is complicated." Joe sighed, continuing to rub Frank's shoulder.

"Not so much," Frank replied, trying to catch his breath. "Now you know WHO— George Kirk. Get Lorenzo Santitori. When you find them, you MIGHT find Stella."

'You're right," Joe said. "If everything was done for Stella, she has to be somewhere. Neither one is a murderer... Just riding the moral high horse. That kid has to be safe- somewhere."

"And Joe?" Frank asked.

Joe looked into his eyes, which were glassy. "What?"

"They might not have been murderers, but they are now. At least four people, one of whom is an officer, are dead now, as a result of a setup gone wrong. All they were planning was for Josh to get the money to THEM, and they would have returned a portion to Tanzini. They probably had Josh bring Stella- or maybe Stella was never present at all, and the doll and shoe were props. Yeah… she was probably never there at all. The blood won't be a match- I can feel it. And Kirk must have instigated the shooting somehow as a ruse before it all went wrong. Be careful."

"I will," he assured Frank. "And I think I know where Stella is," he went on. It was suddenly as clear as day.

"Hope…" Frank whispered.

"We'll get there. We'll get her. That's tonight. Right now, we go for Stella. I'm also sending Vanessa and Mom back here to watch you, because Callie is too big of a risk to leave the house." He removed his arm from around Frank and touched his cheek, which was hot. "Frank, I'm getting a doctor in here. Van will be here soon."

"Okay," Frank mumbled.

"I have to go now," he told him. "Time is of the essence."

"Go," Frank whispered.

Joe leaned forward and carefully hugged his brother. "I love you. Please stay healthy. You were amazing, Frank. You may have just saved a little girl's life."

He stood to go, putting on his jacket, and, when he turned around, Frank was fast asleep.

On the way out, he hooked up with everyone in the hallway and filled them in; asked a nurse to go immediately to check on Frank; texted Vanessa. And, as much as he hated to do it, with everything else going on in her life, he texted Callie, too. She had a right to know that Frank was sick.

But he would be okay- he had to be.

"Let's go," Joe said gruffly.

"Where to?" Collig asked, radio in hand.

"George Kirk's daughter's house," Joe replied. "I think she may be babysitting…"


	30. Chapter 30

**Note:** _Only 7 more chapters after this one! Thanks so much for all of the lovely feedback I received on the last chapter. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a note, which meant a lot. To that end, for your reviews on the last chapter, many thanks to EvergreenDreamweaver, Drumboy100, BeeBee18, DusktoDawn21, BMSH, hbndgirl, ChrisCorso, Caranath, ErinJordan, max2013, FANHB08, sm2003495, Paulina Ann, and Candylou._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 30

"This has been a hell of a ride," Sean said to Joe as they rode in his patrol car back to the hospital. It was almost 3:00 in the afternoon.

"You're not freaking kidding," Joe replied. "At least this one has a happy ending."

"How'd you know?" Sean asked him. "I mean, what made you think to go to Kirk's daughter's house?"

Joe shrugged. "It just made sense. Once we figured out that Lorenzo Santitori was working with George Kirk, we knew that the child was probably safe. Prior to the disaster with Tanzini, we came to the conclusion that both of them were trying to save the world with a sense of moral superiority- that they weren't murderers."

Sean shot him a sidelong glance. "Funny how these scumbags think," he said. "One's more than likely a higher level drug lord and the other had been scamming the system to build his place in the community while taking advantage of the badge. How the hell that is the moral high road I'll never know."

"Perception is reality, my friend," Joe told him. "I would have had no idea with where to start to find Stella, though, until I remembered something that Nancy said- that Kirk had started investigating illegal adoptions."

"Uh huh," Sean replied. "I still don't see it."

"It's just a matter of filling in the blanks," Joe explained. "Kirk's daughter had miscarriages, so clearly she wanted children. Maybe Kirk would have 'found' a child to be privately adopted or who just 'showed up' at his daughter's door. It must have seemed like fate when he met Lorenzo."

"But then Lorenzo wouldn't have been able to see his niece," Sean stated. "And who the hell could betray a sibling like that? I thought he wanted to help Jessica, not take her child." He shuddered.

"Who says he couldn't have seen Stella?" Joe asked. "I'm sure that would have been part of the deal. And honestly, he 'cared', if you could even say that, about the future of his name- Stella. He was always ashamed of Jessica's poverty."

Sean shook his head and sighed. "I hear you, man. I'd like to think that the relationships that we have with our own brothers are the norm, but I guess they're not. There's nothing I wouldn't do for Pat- that kid means everything to me. And let me tell you- Frank would be lost if something happened to you."

Joe smiled and looked down. "We both lucky with our jobs and our friends, too," he said finally. "You have a built- in family with your officers. I've been so fortunate to have really solid friends in my life… and you know Pat's one of them."

"I know," Sean replied, smiling himself. "You're both kind of reckless idiots, though."

Joe laughed. "It's half the fun, man. Lighten up."

"Older brothers are always serious," Sean answered, though there was a twinkle in his eye.

"Pat's got a long road ahead of him. I think Frank does, too," Joe said, more serious now. "But they'll be okay. They're fighters."

"They are," Sean agreed. "Did you hear from Frank at all in all the craziness of today?"

"No," Joe replied, sighing. "But my mom called. Frank started running a fever when we were there this morning, and the doctors took him down for testing. Turns out that there was a serious complication, called an "overwhelming post-splenectomy infection, or OPSI." He turned to Sean. "I've been trying _not_ to think about this all day. It was caught right away, but that could have killed him. He's on a heavy dose of antibiotics right now and he's looking at staying at least another week in the hospital."

"Frank's tough," Sean told him, seriously. "He'll need the rest and recovery time, though."

"But he's so overwhelmed right now with the other case," Joe replied. "And-"

"Joe?" Sean asked him as he pulled into the hospital parking lot. "Stop. You need to get on that case now. Everything is in place for that and there's backup all over. I'm dropping you off at the station in 15 minutes- so you can run in now, check on Frank quickly, and then come with me."

"You're right," Joe admitted. "I have a ton of things to get done in the next two hours."

"Look at what we accomplished today," Sean reminded him. "We saved a little girl. Jessica Santitori must feel like she got a new lease on life today. I know Collig was personally going to return that little girl to her mom today. In fact," Sean went on, looking at his phone. "My dad texted and said he was in contact with Collig. It's done."

"How'd it go?" Joe asked, curious.

Sean looked at his text again. "Awesome. She was crying, of course, and Stella was perfectly fine." He looked at Joe. "He saw her. She's a cute little kid. My dad did tell me that Jessica asked to see Frank when he's feeling better to thank him. She said that your brother was exceptionally kind to her during the whole ordeal."

"My brother IS exceptionally kind, period," Joe replied, proud."And I'll tell my mom to tell that to Frank when he's up to it. My dad is meeting us at the station."

"How's Frank's wife?" Sean asked as he found a parking space.

Joe groaned before replying. "She's scared to death about Frank and tonight. But she'll hold it together; she always does. I wish she wasn't alone at my parents' house now."

"So call Hooper," Sean told him. "Or Morton. I'm sure you have no shortage of people you can rely on to help out."

Joe smiled. "I hadn't even thought of that. Thanks, Sean. And thanks for everything. I wish it was under better circumstances, but I've liked working with you."

"Same," Sean replied, and reached out his hand, which Joe shook. "Now go-" Sean told him. "Fifteen minutes! Then, get your ass back here."

Joe chuckled, opened the door, and started jogging to the hospital. Sean, left alone, took out his phone and texted his own brother, whom he also missed and was worried about. And, when Pat texted back not three minutes later with a stupid story about a hot nurse, he laughed. Maybe everything would have a happy ending after all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Sean dropped him off at the station 40 minutes later, Joe took a few minutes to collect his thoughts. He'd been able to check on Frank, who looked pale and sick, but hearing from the doctors, themselves, that Frank was doing okay was about all he could ask for, and his mom and Vanessa were keeping vigil by his side.

He'd taken a few minutes to steal Vanessa away. She was being so strong through all of this, and he knew how much stress she was under, which worried him. But the few moments he had gotten to speak with her and hold her had revitalized him. They had to get a successful resolution to this case and to find Hope Gellers. If not, he couldn't even think of what would happen.

He made one last call quickly via Facetime before he went into the station.

"Is everything okay?" Callie asked, her pretty face a mask of concern.

"Yup," Joe told her. "So far. Did Biff and Chet get there?"

She nodded. "Thanks, Joe. It's been so hard being here alone with the three babies, thinking someone is watching, worrying about Frank, and so on edge about Hope and everything going down. They've been great."

"Hi Unca Joe!" JJ called, sticking his face right into the phone. Joe laughed at Callie's exasperated expression and his nephew's ability to insert himself into any situation at not even two years old.

"Hi, buddy. You taking care of mommy?"

JJ nodded. "I miss daddy."

Joe felt his smile soften. "I know you do, JJ. Daddy misses you too. You'll see him real soon, okay?"

"Okay," JJ said. "Bye Unca Joe." He blew him a kiss.

Callie took back the phone. "Sorry."

"No problem, sis. I have to get going. Anything you need, you call me, or have Chet or Biff call, okay? I promise I'll be in touch."

"Thank you," she replied, weakly. "Be careful."

"Will do," Joe replied. In the background, he saw Chet holding a sleeping Laurie, saw Biff playing Superman with Evan.

"Cal?" he asked. "Let me talk to Biff for a sec."

"Okay," she told him and handed off the phone. Joe felt bad. He knew Callie must be close to her breaking point. It wasn't like her to be so quiet, to look so frazzled.

Biff grabbed the phone and walked away. "Whaddup?" he asked Joe. "Say hi to daddy, Ev."

Joe smiled and waved at his son, telling him he would be home soon, though Evan was too young to understand. He watched as Biff placed Evan on the floor and he went crawling back to JJ.

He met Biff's eyes. "Listen," he said quietly, "tonight- it's really dangerous. And you know the reality here. It … could be bad."

"I know," Biff told him, serious.

"IF something happens, I'm calling you before Callie or Frank. You're going to need to hold the fort until I can get to her, and I honestly don't know how she'll take bad news. Callie's barely holding on- I can tell. Just be on alert. And tell Chet what's going on- tell him the truth; don't sugarcoat it. If tonight goes wrong, Callie and Frank are going to need us all."

"Joe," Biff told him, "Knock this shit off."

"What?"! Joe asked. "What the hell, Biff? I'm trying-"

"You're trying to tell me what I already know, brother." Biff stared right at him. "This isn't you, Joe. Stop worrying about what might go wrong and get back to your normal, cocky, throw caution to the wind, don't- give- a- shit self. This chickenshit look isn't good on you. Decide you're going to do this and then you'll do it. You don't work this way."

Joe stared at him, letting his words sink in. He wasn't afraid for himself, Biff was wrong there, but he _was_ afraid for his brother and sister in law. Still- he had always used his instincts, never _did_ think he could be beaten. His arrogance in the face of adversity had allowed him to take crazy risks, but those risks are what had saved him on more than one occasion.

"Hello?" Biff asked him. "I don't enjoy watching you think either, man. It's unlike you." He smiled.

"Biff, you're a jackass, you know that?" Joe asked, smiling himself. "Okay. I have to go. I have some ass to kick and one crazy piece of shit to get behind bars."

"Booyah!" Biff replied. "That's my boy." He gave him the finger.

Joe returned the gesture, hung up, and, remarkably, felt a hell of a lot better.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inside the station looked like its own city. Officers, state troopers, and numerous FBI agents were gathering in small groups to coordinate the plans for this evening. They seemed to be gathering intel, reviewing plans, and filling out paperwork. In the last two days alone, they had solved two of the three missing child cases where both children had been found alive. Every statistic was working against them, but Joe felt confident that the best of the best were on this mission. If anyone could save Hope Gellers, provided she was even alive, it was this team.

"Want to review this one more time?" an attractive woman asked him.

It took him a minute, but he broke into a smile. "Nancy! You look great as a blonde," he told her, sincerely. "It's going to take a little getting used to, though."

Nancy laughed. "What I don't look like is Callie, but I tried my best. What do you think?"

Joe looked at her. She had dyed her hair to Callie's golden blonde color, had it pulled back into a french braid, and wore dark contacts. Her jewelry was simple: diamond stud earrings, a wedding and engagement ring in Callie's style, and a faux ruby ring on her right hand. She was also dressed conservatively, as public pictures of Callie with Johnny had always shown. Wearing dark blue skinny jeans, black ballet flats, and a form fitting light blue sweater, she had certainly copied Callie's style.

"Other than about 6 inches, I'd say you could certainly pass for a third cousin, twice removed, of Callie's," he joked.

"Is that good?" she asked, chuckling, and raising her brow.

"It's great," he assured her. "How's everything else?"

Nancy turned serious. "You know the outcome of these cases is not usually good," she told him.

Joe met her eyes. "We can't think that way, Nancy. We're professionals; we know what to do. We just have to do it and pray for the best."

"Of course," Nancy agreed. "So then- the plan. So we're leaving very soon for the first drop by that abandoned apartment complex on the far south of town. I'm driving Callie's real car; two of the officers went to her house earlier and one retrieved the car- it's parked out back. Callie got the money and the federal agents are watching it now. I have the money divided as requested: small unmarked bills- 50s and 20s, split. Half a million in each. Once that drop goes well, I'm sure he'll be checking for it. Then, we'll head to the bus terminal on 8th and Providence at 8:00. Again, he's being smart. The first place is private so he can see if I'm being followed; the second drop is busier."

"What he's not anticipating is that you're going to be surrounded by feds, locals, and troopers in undercover vehicles," Joe reassured her. "You know the major issue," he told her seriously. "We still haven't heard where he's keeping the baby."

Nancy nodded. "Believe me; I know. Minimally, I'm confident we'll get this guy. I'm also pretty confident that Callie and Frank's money will be protected. I'm not confident at all the the child is still alive."

"Have you heard ANYTHING?" Joe asked, trying to think of some lead.

"Yes," Nancy replied. "A text came through that I would get Hope's location 15 minutes after the second drop. I wrote back and told him that I couldn't do it without more assurance. Your dad saw the text."

"That was gutsy," Joe told her. "Did the risk pay off? Please tell me it did."

"He repeated his directive, but I held firm. So basically he'll be sending a clue an hour. He said that if I was as smart as my detective husband, I might even figure it out. And if I didn't, and something happened to her… it would be my fault since I'm- and I quote- " _a stupid blonde bitch._ "

Joe felt the color rush to his face as he realized how truly horrifying it would have been if Callie had been privy to this information. Nancy's idea to go in as Callie was brilliant, if only for saving Callie's mental health. "I'm going to get this son a a bitch," Joe said, cooly. "I know there's no time on your end to work on it, but what was the 'clue' he left?"

"He texted _follow my lead to a dead end."_ She showed Joe the message.

"That's uplifting," Joe told her, dryly. "I assume Collig has officers heading to dead end streets?"

"He's on it, yes."

"Damnit, Nancy," he added, angrily. "These bastards lie all the time. This could mean nothing at all. It could be he's watching the station, though I don't think so, to see if Callie asked for help. Or, he could be on some delusional power trip and it COULD actually be a clue. I need to think." He checked his watch as he felt the dynamic of the station start to change; a heavy charge in the air. "Thirty minutes," he told her. "Time to go." He looked up, saw Agent King waving them over.

"A dead end," he whispered to himself, and shook off the ominous feeling that had settled over him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joe parked his own car at a far distance. His father sat on the passenger side, and they settled in, binoculars with night vision in hand. "There she is," he told his father. "See her?"

"Yes," Fenton replied. He was quiet for a few minutes. "She's covered fully. She's also doing a fine job here."

Joe had to agree. She was standing alone, outside Callie's car, clutching the bag tightly. Nancy had started pacing and looking nervously all around, exactly as Callie would have done had she been there. "She's good," Joe answered. "And she's sure as hell fearless."

"She is," Fenton replied, never taking his eyes off her.

"Did you hear from Chief Collig about the 'dead end' thing?" Joe asked, and Fenton answered almost at once.

"They're about 80% done with the dead end street search. No baby."

Joe sighed inwardly. "There! She's moving," he told his dad. Sure enough, Nancy had headed toward the exact location of the drop, looked around again nervously, and left the bag in the designated area.

"She's got a wire, just in case," Joe reminded his dad. "Is the radio channel up?"

"Yes. Turn it on," Fenton whispered.

Just as Nancy was turning back to the car, Joe gasped. A figure dressed in dark clothing grabbed her from behind and held a knife to her neck. He twisted one arm behind her back, and Joe could hear her cry out, surprised.

"Callie Hardy," he breathed into her ear. "We meet at last."


	31. Chapter 31

**Note:** _As always, thanks SO MUCH for the kind reviews and feedback. For the reviews on the last chapter, much gratitude to Ritu, Paulina Ann, DusktoDawn21, ChrisCorso, max2013, Drumboy100, ErinJordan, EvergreenDreamweaver, FANHB08, sm2003495, candylou, BMSH, hbndgirl, and Caranath. Hope you enjoy this..._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 31

"Holy shit! That's not supposed to happen!" Joe exclaimed. He went to get out of the car to rush to Nancy, but he felt his father grab his arm.

"Stay PUT!" Fenton growled at him. "If he so much as turns the wrong way, about 15 agents and troopers will be all over him."

"Dad- I'm not going to let her get hurt!" he retorted, angry.

"Joe, you go to her now, and any chance we have of finding that baby is gone. Don't move!"

Joe cursed under his breath, knowing that his father was probably right. But at this point, he almost didn't care. Nancy was here on her own volition helping on a case to find a missing child. She hadn't signed up for getting hurt or killed. Then again, Joe thought as he forced himself to calm down, Nancy was a skilled and experienced private investigator. If she had been a man, he wouldn't have questioned that he should wait it out. He owed her the same respect, though it was killing kim to watch.

He turned up the radio channel and thanked the powers that be that he and Nancy had agreed on the necessity of a wire, 'just in case.' He looked at his dad, nodded, and focused on her again.

"Please don't hurt me," Nancy cried. "I've done what you wanted." Joe could sense that she was nervous, but not nearly as nervous as she was letting on. With a start, he realized that she really had embraced her role as Callie, and she wasn't going to blow her cover, even now.

"Listen, bitch," Fuller told her, menacingly. "You're going to open that bag right now and you're going to show me that it's all there. And if it's not, I'm going to slit your pretty little throat."

Joe felt his heart pounding. He couldn't imagine what this would have done to Callie if she had come.

"Please," Nancy begged, a little too convincingly. "All I want is the baby. It's all there- I swear it."

"Open it!" he shouted, and Nancy did as she was told. Fuller grabbed the bag from her hand and started rifling through the bills. He took out some sort of stick and seemed to be coloring first one, then two, then three separate stacks. Joe realized immediately that it was a counterfeit detection pen. He took a moment to be grateful to the feds for their insistence on using real money. As Fuller was furiously going through the bag, Joe noticed that he had ignored Nancy, saw that Nancy could hit him or knock him out.

But she didn't. She continued to watch him, playing the scared woman, knowing the endgame wasn't here yet. Joe found himself admiring her courage and resolve.

After an agonizing few minutes, Fuller looked up, smiling sinisterly. "Well, well, well. It looks like the pretty blonde can follow instructions."

"I told you that I don't care about the money. Pease- where's Hope?" Nancy begged.

"Must be nice, little rich bitch, not to care about a million bucks. Unless-" he paused, suspicious. "There are people following you. Because if there are, I'll make sure that baby is dead in two minutes. And then I'll kill you."

Nancy backed off, seeming to be fighting tears, though Joe knew it was all a ruse. "Listen, PLEASE. If someone was following me, wouldn't he have saved me by now? Wouldn't there be police officers here to arrest you? I followed your advice. I'm not going to risk the baby for anything."

Fuller stared right at her. "Why does this kid mean so much to you, anyway? You got your own family- and don't forget I know that, by the way, know where your kids are at all times. What are you jealous of Amanda or something? She steal your man, your 'best friend'? I bet your husband loves thinking about the two of you. What- did you do him? How many times, baby? Was it hot?"

Joe felt the color rush to his face. Fuller was goading Nancy, but she remained as calm and collected as ever. God, if this was Callie- he felt sick. She would have never made it this far.

"Why do you care?" Nancy responded back, indignant. "I want her. You have the money. I want the location."

"Feisty thing," Fuller responded. "That wasn't the deal. I'll give you another clue, baby. Then you'll meet me soon in the second location. If all goes well, you'll get the kid back- maybe." He laughed.

"So what's the clue?" Nancy asked. Joe heard the tremor in her voice, but he knew it was because she was seething, not because she was afraid.

Fuller smiled. "You didn't follow my lead to a dead end?" He laughed again. "You're getting father and father away."

"What-" Nancy began, but he grabbed her arm and twisted it, making her wince.

"Come on, honey. THINK. See you soon. And I'll be watching." He shoved her hard, making her land on the ground. Then, he took off in the other direction.

"I've got him in my line of sight," an agent cackled on the radio.

"10-4. Two backups on Fuller. Stand back. Do NOT reveal yourselves."

Nancy stood up shakily, rubbing her wrist. She silently and quickly ran to Callie's car and got behind the wheel, slowly pulling away and heading towards the new location. Smartly, she waited for a few minutes, and then spoke into the wire. "I don't know what that clue means," she said. "Someone work on it. I'm kind of preoccupied now."

"Nancy, are you okay?" Joe asked immediately. "Did that bastard hurt you?"

"I'm fine," she replied. "He's sick. But you know what?"

"Yeah," Joe spoke into the open line. "He's disorganized. He's not as thorough as we thought he was. I have a feeling that he's been bullshitting about how much he knows, but he's been good enough to get this far. And Nancy? I think these clues mean something."

"Me, too."

Agent King spoke over the line. "Nancy, keep acting distraught. We have him in sight, and he's starting to follow you at a distance. You can't be seen talking into anything; even a hands free phone would arouse suspicion. Quickly- get to the next drop. He won't pull anything in public. Now that he checked that the money is real, he'll have no reason or need to check the other bag. If he does, for whatever reason, it's legit. Get him to keep talking. Get another clue. We have Callie Hardy's phone routed to you. If you don't hear back 15 minutes after the drop with the baby's location, we're going in. If you do hear, we'll verify the child's location first before we arrest him. Either way, we'll get him- but we need every chance we have to get the child. Are you clear?"

"Totally," Nancy replied. "I'm cutting off communication now. You can hear me, but I won't be speaking directly to you."

"10-4." The radio went silent.

An hour and forty minutes later, Joe watched again as the area for the second drop was surrounded by unmarked cars. True to their word, Fuller had been under surveillance the whole time. _He probably thinks he's getting away with it_ , Joe mused silently. He couldn't wait for him to find out otherwise.

Joe watched with bated breath as Nancy once again got out of the car and moved nervously to the designated area. The place, while not mobbed, was certainly busy with people milling about, completely unaware of what was going down. Nancy sat on a bench, clutching the bag to her.

Out of nowhere, Fuller appeared, sounding eerily calm.

"The bag?" he said quietly to her.

"After you tell me where Hope is," Nancy went back at him.

"You're not going to be so stupid as to make a scene here, sweetheart, are you?" he breathed menacingly in her ear. "I told you. Fifteen minutes. Then you'll get your answer."

"Fine," Nancy breathed, hotly. "It's been two hours. I need another clue. Because if you're lying to me, the clues are all I'll have."

"Aw, and I'm sure you'll go running to your detective husband to help you then. He'll be real proud of you, Callie. You will have cost him a baby and a million bucks because you couldn't follow the rules."

"The clue," Nancy continued, steadfast. "Unless you're lying to me about that. They don't make sense," she went on.

Joe saw what she was doing, and silently approved.

"Just because you're too stupid to see them doesn't mean they don't make sense," he answered, eyeing the bag. "I like games. I know the clues. And you'll be kicking yourself once I call you that you didn't figure them out sooner. By then, it could be too late."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nancy asked.

 _She's trying to see if the clues are real. He thinks he can outsmart the detectives, so they probably are real,_ Joe realized. Nancy was damned smart.

"So, last clue." He smiled again. "You'll get there eventually, though you might be stoned."

"What?" Nancy asked.

"The bag," he said.

"Fifteen minutes," she told him.

They stared at each other before Nancy handed the bag over. He nonchalantly opened the zipper, seemed satisfied, and sealed the bag again. "It's been a pleasure, Mrs. Hardy," he told her. "And if your husband doesn't want you after all this, and I can't blame him, remember me. I'll be happy to take you for a ride one day, if you catch my drift. And you never know when I'll be waiting to do it." He got up, turned to leave, and quickly departed.

The radios sprang to life. Nancy got into her car and waited. Joe watched her. He knew every officer on duty was on edge. They'd get Fuller; he knew that. But would they get Hope?

 _Five minutes._

 _Ten minutes._

Joe felt his heart start pounding.

 _Fifteen minutes._

Nothing.

 _Twenty minutes._

Nothing.

The phone rang. Nancy picked up.

"Did you figure out my clues?" he asked. "Cause they're real. Good luck finding her. The kid's probably dead by now. Bye!"

"Shit!" Joe called out.

"Move- all agents _move!_ " All at once, sirens started blaring. They were going after Fuller.

Joe jumped out of the car, leaving his dad staring after him. He crossed the pavement in record time and knocked furiously on Nancy's passenger side window. She unlocked the door right away, face pale.

He got in and slammed the door.

"Joe, I'm so sorry," Nancy told him, her voice betraying her first genuine fear of the night. "We took a risk and -"

"No, Nancy. Just let me think."

She nodded.

He closed his eyes. _Dead end. Father and father away. You'll get there eventually. You might be stoned._ He repeated the clues over and over again.

His eyes snapped open.

"Nancy?" he asked quickly. "He didn't say 'further.' He said 'father', right? That wasn't a mistake."

"He definitely said 'father,'" she verified. "But he's uneducated, and he may have just mispronounced it."

"No!" Joe exclaimed. "No, he wouldn't do that. He was boosting his ego by trying to outwit Callie's husband- eventually. Nancy, go- as fast as you can! Right down Main Street! Hurry!"

Startled, Nancy floored the gas pedal until she was flying, trying to follow Joe's instructions in a town she didn't know well on this dark, cold night. Even at that speed, it still took 25 minutes to get there.

As soon as she parked, Joe threw open the door, Nancy on his heels. Fueled by adrenaline, he practically flew past the mausoleum in which he had spent so much time, talking to his first love, Iola, after she had been taken so senselessly from him. He ran and ran, ignoring the figuratively and literally haunted surroundings.

The cemetery. She had to be here. Please, god- let her be here. And let her be alive.

 _The dead end. We'll all get there. Her father. The TOMBstones._

Johnny's plot was on the far end of the cemetery, beautiful and isolated and serene… in the daytime.

"Hope!" Joe called out. "Hope!"

He looked around deperately- saw nothing. "Oh, god," he huffed. He saw a little sippy cup on the pathway up the hill.

And then, next to her daddy's tombstone, with his picture, bright and smiling, little Hope Gellers lay on the ground.

"Hope!" Joe called out, falling to his knees. In the background, he heard Nancy calling for an ambulance. He turned her over, and the baby was shaking so badly she looked like she was having a seizure. She had only her teddy bear clutched in her hands. But it was her. Looking at those emerald eyes was like looking right into Johnny's soul, and he felt the wind ripped from his body.

Joe took off his own coat, wrapped it around the freezing baby, and rocked her in his arms, kissing her and trying to comfort her, though she was so little, and she probably didn't understand anything. "It's okay, honey. It's okay." He held her close. "I think your daddy protected you." He felt tears burn his eyes.

Suddenly, she started wailing, screaming at the top of her lungs.

And it was just about the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard.


	32. Chapter 32

**Note:** _This is a long chapter- over 5,000 words. After this, five more chapters to go! I so appreciate everyone who took the time to leave a review on the last chapter: ChrisCorso, FANHB08, hlahabibty, EvergreenDreamweaver, Hero76, hbndgirl, max2013, ErinJordan, sm2003495, BMSH, drumboy100, HighFlyer, candylou, and Caranath. I always appreciate what you and others have to say and thank you again for your ongoing support._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 32

The next day

The next morning, at the hospital, Joe closed his eyes, thinking about everything these cases had entailed. Yes, there had been the obvious similarities amongst them all: children as victims, money ruling everything, corruption, betrayal, drugs. But the one thing he hadn't confronted yet, the one thing that he had subconsciously kept at bay, was the hidden connection: the violence against women. It made his blood boil.

It was too personal and painful for Frank to deal with or think about anymore; Frank wanted nothing to do with these cases. But he did. He never wanted any women to suffer again at the hands of sadistic men. Jessica Santitori: raped. Amanda Madison: left in foster care as a child, most likely sexually abused based on erratic later behavior. Tanya Griffin: tossed aside because her mother believed erroneously she was sleeping with her stepfather, shot at point blank range, defenseless against a gun. Nancy, grabbed and threatened as she worked undercover.

And he thought of all the strong, brave, intelligent, and beautiful women in his life, from Vanessa, to his mom and Andrea, to all of his women friends, to his niece.

To Callie.

He was starting to feel a compulsion to get involved in these crimes against women. He would not be able to save the world, but if he could help one woman at a time, then he needed to do it. Just as Frank had picked up many of the counter-terrorism cases over the years that he wanted nothing to do with, he knew that his own calling was starting to become clear. But there was one conversation that he had to have first if he was going to go in that direction.

Might as well do it now, because it was never going to get easier.

He found her gazing into the NICU, hands resting against the glass, almost unable to look away. She had been there all night. When he had called her that they had found Hope, she had broken down in tears, unable to speak. And, when Biff had driven her to the hospital, she had been shaking.

He would never forget the look in Callie's eyes when she had first sen baby Hope. It was as if a part of her soul had healed right in front of his eyes, and it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

Frank, who was still so ill, had simply clutched his hand tightly, tears in his own eyes. That simple touch had spoken all the words Joe knew his brother had in his heart, if not on his lips.

"Hey," he said softly as he approached her, being sure not to startle her. Another thing to remember —to always have that fear of being sneaked up on, something that almost everyone took for granted. It was awful.

When she turned to him, she crossed the short distance into his arms. "Joe," she whispered in a quivering voice against his chest, "Thank you. THANK YOU. She's going to be okay."

Joe rubbed her back gently as he held her. "Bet you're getting sick of this place, huh?'

"I never want to see it again," she agreed. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. "I just feel so drained," she admitted. "I want to take my husband and babies and go home. I want to hold that little girl and not let her go. Want to know a secret?"

"Sure," he told her.

"I just want to crawl into bed and go someplace where nobody knows me and just cry."

"Then do it, Cal," he replied, gently. "Stop thinking you need to be so strong for everyone. It's okay to cry, sis. Stop thinking it isn't." He hugged her tightly again. "My brother won't break if you share this with him, and you can, you know."

"Not now," she replied softly. "I know all about your brother, believe me." She pulled away again, managing to smile at him. "And he's always my rock. But he needs time to process everything in his own way. Plus he needs to physically recover. He's been through so much. I'm okay; really. I'm just this weird combination of relieved and anxious and grateful and overwhelmed and… I don't know…"

"Exhausted?" Joe asked her, and she let out a small laugh.

"You could say that," she answered.

"Callie," he said seriously, "This is quite possibly the worst time in the world to have this little talk, but I want to do it- once only, I promise you. If I ask you something, and you don't or can't answer, tell me and I'll stop. But I need to share something with you."

"Yeah. Sure. Of course."

He had to smile. Callie was like that; could switch on a dime and forget her own problems, or at least pretend to, to put everyone else first. She was totally focused on him.

"Not here," he told her, and reached for her hand. "I'll take you right back - I know you don't want to leave. But come with me." Not questioning, she followed. He took her to the elevator and down to the first floor, past the cafeteria, and, finally, to a quiet area, a "relaxation garden" for patients and family members who needed to think, recoup, pray. He'd checked it out on the way to see her, and he knew no one would be there now.

"What's up, Joe?" she asked, sitting across from him. "Are you okay?"

"No," he told her, to her surprise. "I'm not."

"Talk to me," she said softly, taking his hand.

And he did. He told her everything, how he was sick and tired of seeing so many women, case after case, get hurt. How he was feeling compelled to use his skills as an investigator, not just with his dad and brother, but in working with other law enforcement agencies as well. He needed specialized skills that would only come with more schooling and licensure, but he was serious about it. When he was done, he paused, feeling a great weight starting to lift from his overburdened shoulders.

Callie had listened patiently and with compassion. Finally, she spoke. "Have you spoken to Vanessa about this? Frank?"

"I will," Joe told her. "In the next few days. But you, Cal- you needed to be first."

"Why?" she asked him, still holding his hand. He wasn't sure who was supporting whom right now.

This was it. He looked into her eyes. "Because it wasn't until you told me what had happened to you that I started seeing what I should have seen for years. I started seeing things in a different way. I felt… so BAD, Cal…" He looked at her, his own eyes watery, "for what happened to you. For the jerk I was to you as a kid for all of those years."

"That wasn't your fault, Joey," she told him, squeezing his hand. He couldn't believe that she wasn't crying. "Of course it wasn't. How could I be mad at you for something you didn't know?" She released his hands, but not his gaze. "Joe," she told him a shaky voice, "my PARENTS don't know. Only Frank knows, and now you. My Johnny knew. No one else. I can't share it with anyone else right now; maybe for the rest of my life."

"I know it wasn't my fault," he told her. "But it made me think about how often others may have acted the same way to you. How scared you must have been. How scared so many others must feel. And I want to help."

"Then you should," she told him. She stood, and he watched her nervously wring her hands.

"Cal?" he asked, puzzled.

She took several deep breaths. "Joe," she finally said, and he was worried. "I know your intentions are good. Please know that I know that. And I would be so proud of you if that's where your true passion lies, because once you decide on something, you're unstoppable. And if I'm the catalyst for that, fine. But don't tell me that. It's too much of a burden for me."

"I don't understand," he told her. "Help me to."

Her hands were shaking, and he was at a complete loss. "I so appreciate you coming to me," she managed. "But you need to understand. It's not...organic… for me to talk about it, even now. I'm glad you know. You _needed_ to know. But you need to be aware of some important things."

"Go ahead."

She raised a hand to her forehead. "What happened to me is in my past. I meant it when I told you that MOST of the time now, I'm okay. Literally, 95% of the time, I am a survivor. I can handle anything related to it, and, for me, I cope by NOT thinking about it. But 5% of the time, I'm not. I'm the victim. I hate it, but... I am." She was trembling, and his heart ached for her.

"Callie…"

"Let me finish," she cut him off. "What I went through… it was… unimaginable. I feel sick." She covered her mouth with one hand, trying not to gag.

"I'm so sorry, Cal," he told her. "I told you I wouldn't bring it up, and I meant it. I _mean_ it."

"Then why _did_ you?" she asked, voice wobbly. At once, understanding dawned on her. Joe watched as her face drained completely of color and she started shaking more.

Immediately, Joe flashed to the almost identical look on Frank's face when he had brought it up. The horror, abject terror, and pain on both of their faces shook him. He had felt the power of Frank's love for Callie in that moment, how he would literally do anything to protect her. He should have listened.

"Please," she whimpered. "Please, Joe. No." She appeared to be struggling for breath.

Wordlessly, Joe reached for her and pulled her close. "Okay," he whispered. "I promise. Unless you give me permission, I swear to god, on my life, I will never investigate that case or ask anyone else to. I just needed you to know that, if you had wanted me to, you would have been my first and only priority...and I would get that piece of shit and kill him myself." He kissed her head, his heart breaking for her. To see his strong, brave sister- in- law struggling for control, still obviously terrified almost a decade later, made his eyes burn.

She clung to him tightly. "Okay," she said at last. "I trust you."

"Callie," he told her softly, "I have watched you… and my brother… suffer so much over the past two years." He paused, collecting himself. "You are both so strong and I love you both so much. I just wanted to help, but I get it now that, for you, helping means keeping my damned mouth shut. Forgive me. I will NEVER, EVER bring it up again. I am always here for you to talk to and I will always support you and protect your secret." He kissed her forehead. "You know how serious I am about promises."

She finally pulled away from him and gently reached up to touch his cheek. "Oh, Joe," she sighed, shakily. "You have been such a good friend to me. Please know that while I'm glad you know, this is partially what I was afraid of." She dropped her hand and offered him a pale smile.

"What, Cal?" he asked her, concern radiating from his eyes.

She swallowed hard before answering. "Joey, you are one of my best friends. Other than Vanessa, and of course, Johnny, I trust you most in the world. But Frank- he's the one who knows me inside and out. It's so hard for me to open up to anyone but him completely. I... I feel very vulnerable... and honestly, that's a scary feeling for me."

"I will never hurt you," Joe replied adamantly. "Because while you are my brother's wife, you are also one of my best friends. You know that. You've given me a great gift with your secret and I will not betray you. I swear to god- I won't." He tried to control the emotion in his voice.

Callie looked up at him again, meeting his eyes directly. "What I told you may have been a gift; that's how it was intended. But now it's a burden."

"No-" he began.

"Yes," Callie interrupted. She took his hand. "Joe," she began. "This is so complicated for me." Her cheeks flushed despite her pale complexion. "And you need to understand that if you pursue the line of work you want to, it's going to be nuanced and gray and complicated for any woman. For any _person_."

"I know," Joe told her, quietly, listening intently.

"You don't know," Callie replied."You DON'T. That's okay- you shouldn't, and it's admirable that you want to- that's not what I'm saying." She took a deep breath. "I AM private and this is so hard." Her lips quivered. "Joe, rape..." She stopped, eyes bright with tears. "It violates a woman in so many ways: sexually, physically, mentally, emotionally. You want to know some secrets about me? Be careful what you wish for." Tears slid from her eyes, but she refused to look away. "I am still ashamed and resentful and angry and terrified to this day over what happened. I don't want to tell people because to admit to it means to elicit their pity and curiosity, and I want neither. I don't want you to think of me in that moment. I want to be Callie- _that's all._ I was such a mess," she went on, now looking down. "I developed an eating disorder for a while. I was diagnosed with PTSD. I wanted to die... I was borderline suicidal."

Joe gasped, felt his own tears release. He'd had no idea.

"I was _destroyed_ , Joe." She wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. "I told you what happened to me because I had to; because it was the right thing to do; because Frank needed support, and he still does. And I share with you a little more today for the same reasons, and because if you are going to help people, you need to know that every person reacts differently when this crime happens. But if I never had to deal with it or its consequences again- I would trade almost anything for that chance. PLEASE see me as _me_. PLEASE. I need this evil out of my life and, for ME, I need to bury it. Help me to do that, Joey. If you see I'm weak, just give me a hug. If you see I'm scared, just try to shield me. But, above all, if you see me? See ME. See your sister- in -law and friend. See my strengths and weaknesses. I'm not a fragile doll, Joey. I'm strong and healthy and I'm okay. Just like you- just like everybody." She paused for a moment, slightly changing tactics. "You will never forget Iola; she's a part of you and that pain will never, ever leave. But you can't have people remind you every two minutes of her ... murder. It's too much to endure, right? It's the same with me. There's a time and a place. You understand that shame and guilt and fear in your own way. That's why I knew I could trust you with my secret. Because we are very much alike, Joe. Can we put this in the past now?"

"Oh, Cal," Joe managed, wrapping his arms around her again in a tight hug. "Of course." He kissed the top of her head. "If you ever change your mind, though- for _any_ reason- you tell me and I'll take care of it personally, okay? The cops have been on it for years, I'm sure. But I am ALWAYS there to help them if it means helping you. It is in YOUR control, Cal."

"Frank wanted to do the same thing, years and years ago, a few years after it happened," she said softly against him, starting to regain her strength. "But he knew I couldn't go through it again. It would be too much for me to re-live it; it took all I had, it _takes_ all I have, even now, to make it go away. There's so much you don't know, Joey; _so much_. It makes me feel like a coward that I can't face it. And if they're ever caught, I'll have to cross that bridge at that time. In the meantime, I try to live my life and not to be scared that they're still out there."

Joe felt his eyes go wide. Thankfully, she didn't realize it. He held her even closer.

"Hey- you okay?'" she asked him as she pulled away slowly after a minute.

He nodded, unable to speak.

"You will help so many people, not just women or men, but their families. You will make the biggest difference, and I really _am_ proud of you. I know that Van and Frank will be too." She had resumed her normal color, mostly, was only trembling the slightest bit. She finally continued. "And then you can understand when Frank focuses on his specialty areas, and you know that, after Iola, he really cares about terrorism and international issues. Oh, and bank fraud. He's such a nerd with that stuff." She finally smiled.

He nodded again.

"Come on," she told him, taking his arm. She looked up at him. "Today we celebrate. We've cleared the air for us- forever, okay? And you saved Johnny's daughter. And that is EVERYTHING to me and I will NEVER forget it."

"She'll be my niece, I presume," he managed. He winked at her, needing to see her smile again. And she did.

On the way back to the NICU, Callie started to chat normally again, the excitement in her voice over Hope evident. It was so wonderful to hear her happy again, to know she had forgiven him for the question he'd had to ask.

He slipped an arm around her shoulders as they walked, offering her physical and emotional support, which he knew that she needed after this harrowing hell of a case. And he allowed himself willfully to forget the pronoun she'd just used. _THEY'RE_ still out there _. Dear God._

Once again, the hidden depth of Frank and Callie's relationship, and Callie's unbelievable strength, almost took his breath away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ten Days Later

Frank settled in the comfortable chair in the family room, trying his best to find a position that would cause him the least amount of discomfort. After his extended stay in the hospital, he was extraordinarily happy to be home. The extra recoup time had been badly needed: other than being very sore and his knee hurting and being very difficult to navigate, he was starting to regain his strength and feel better.

With Joe and Vanessa moving in next week there was still much to do, but, for now, everything was about family, specifically getting Hope acclimated to her new, hopefully permanent, home. With Johnny and Amanda having died, and neither having had extended family, Frank was almost certain that he and Callie would be able to legally adopt Hope, but each day was a new adventure as the scared little girl didn't know what to do. Callie, in particular, was spending almost all day and night with her, and Frank honestly didn't know how she wasn't collapsing. Truth be told, though, he knew that the sheer relief of having Hope with them was sustaining her.

He tried to help as often as he could, though he was exhausted as well. Still, having JJ's constant chatter made him laugh, and having his baby girl always wanting to cuddle with him melted his heart. With a smile, he had to admit that having Hope now was like falling in love again. She was little and scared, but, when she came out of her shell, she was hilarious and a whirlwind. She and JJ had far bigger personalities than he and Callie would ever have. Only little Laurie took after their quieter, more reserved selves.

He was smitten by Hope and he was starting to see, even in this tiny amount of time that she had been with them, that she belonged; he was starting to forget what life had been like without her. He tried to swallow the shame he felt whenever he had thought that he could never love another baby like his biological children...how wrong he had been. And every time he looked at her big, beautiful green eyes, he saw Johnny; he heard Johnny's laugh through her giggles: she would have made him the happiest man in the world. He vowed to love Johnny's daughter as though she were his own, and he was grateful beyond words that she had been gifted to him and Callie. Their family was finally complete.

Right now, Callie and Vanessa were at the park with all four babies and, thankfully, Melissa, Andrea, and Laura had accompanied them to help. Frank was glad that all the special women in his life were taking time to bond with each other and with the next generation. Joe was at the office with their dad finishing the mounds of paperwork on the Griffin, Santitori, and Gellers' cases.

He knew that, tomorrow, Joe and Biff would be completing their final mission of the past few weeks: to get answers for Vanessa, who had been so patient in waiting to learn the truth about her father. He closed his eyes and said a small prayer that she would get the answers that she deserved to make peace in her own heart.

The doorbell rang, and Frank yelled out, "Come in!" He had been expecting her and had left the door unlocked. Nancy was coming to say goodbye after having spent an extra week in Bayport working with the FBI and locals. She had been back and forth to Manhattan on a few conferences as well, but would be flying out this afternoon. It would be the first time that they'd been alone in close to ten years.

Nancy knocked on the interior French doors once she entered the foyer and caught sight of Frank. He looked up, smiled, and waved her in.

"Hey," she said, smiling as she entered.

"Hey, yourself," he told her.

"Getting ready to leave?" he asked her as she sat across from him.

"Yeah," she replied. "It's been almost two weeks. I'm halfway convinced that Ned thinks I've run away," she laughed. Then, as if realizing what she'd implied, she blushed. "I… you know…"

"I know," Frank assured her. "You must miss him."

"I do," she answered, looking down shyly for a moment.

"He's a lucky guy," Frank told her, and she looked up. "He is," Frank went on quietly. "You're an incredible person, and I've always just wanted to see you happy."

Nancy, still blushing, looked at him. "Thank you," she said at last. "I think I'm the lucky one, though. I'm not that easy to live with; doing what we do- it's hard. It's dangerous, it's time consuming, and it's crazy." She let out a little laugh. "As you understand."

"I do," Frank replied, blushing a bit himself. "I'm just glad he makes you happy."

"He does, Frank," she said earnestly. "He's what I always needed: steady, supportive, so smart. He calms me down when I'm a whirlwind of energy; he's like the yin to my yang… if that makes sense."

"I get it totally," he replied.

"You always do- did," she corrected herself. She looked away and laughed softly, and Frank chuckled a bit as well.

"Ah, Drew," he told her affectionately, "I somehow am both glad to be away from you and still miss you a little." He continued to blush.

"I know," she told him.

Surprising himself, Frank reached for her hand, and she, equally surprised, took it. Finally, he spoke after he had gathered his thoughts, needing to clear the air once and for all. "Nancy, I'm sorry," he told her, meeting her eyes and fighting the color that seemed determined to stay on his face.

"About what?" she asked.

"About what happened between us all those years ago; about how it ended. I never understood what was between us, and I allowed myself to act on the feelings- whatever they were. In the process, I hurt you, I hurt myself, and I hurt Callie. I was a selfish jackass, and you will never understand the consequences that came from that time." He paused, not trusting himself to speak.

Nancy continued to hold onto his hand, and it was a strange feeling, both uncomfortable yet familiar.

"It took two to tango, Hardy," she replied at last, smiling a tiny bit. "But I do understand. Thank you for the apology. I owe you one, too, for the exact same reason. I spent a good two years trying to make up for it to Ned. I was honest about what happened, but he was…" She looked to the ceiling for a moment before facing him again, "so hurt. The fact that he ever forgave me or trusted me again is something I will never take for granted. I appreciate him all the more every day… and it all stems from the fact that I almost lost the greatest thing to ever happen to me."

Frank squeezed her hand. "Ah, to be young and in " _like"_ ," he joked, and Nancy laughed softly.

"You look so in love with Callie," Nancy told him. "You can't take your eyes off her when she's around. It's really sweet."

"I don't deserve her," Frank replied after a minute. "But yes- you're right. She is the single greatest love of my life, Nancy. She's my everything." He let out a nervous breath. "Damn, how long can this blush last?"

Nancy chuckled. "About as long as mine, I assume. What a beautiful family you have, and you deserve that," she continued. "Ned and I are thinking of starting our own family soon. Not yet- but within the next year or two, maybe. I can't think of anything I would want more than to start a family with the man I love."

"There's nothing in the world like it, Nan," he told her. "Thank you for everything you did for me and Joe. You helped with a serious case and, even more, you risked your life to save my daughter. I will forever be in your debt."

"You will not," she told him, honestly. "My pleasure. You and Joe would have handled it just fine on your own, but I'm glad I could help. I would like it if we could actually talk again," she finally finished. "I really have missed you- and Joe. I had forgotten how funny he is. I'd like to get to know your family and Joe's, and I would really like you to know Ned better, too. Even my dad would, I'm sure, like to see you. Whenever he asked about "Fenton's boys", I haven't known what to tell him. I'd like to think I do now."

"I'd like that," Frank responded sincerely. "But Callie has to be okay with it, and so does Ned. I can't see why they wouldn't be, but that's not a call that either of us have the right to make."

"You're right," she agreed. "But I hope it works out."

"So do I," Frank told her.

"Well," she said, withdrawing her hand from Frank's, "I guess I should get going. Thank you for this talk. And thank Callie for reaching out to me to help you guys. If she hadn't, I think I would still have a whole lot of unresolved issues. It's good that everything is out in the open now. I… feel better."

"Me, too," Frank told her with a smile. "And Drew?"

"Yes, Hardy?" she asked as she stood.

"I still think you're fantastic," he told her simply.

"And you're pretty swell, too," she replied with a wink. She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, my friend," she told him.

"Goodbye," he echoed as he watched her turn and leave. He waved, and she returned the gesture.

It was as if he watched all the _could have beens_ and _what ifs_ follow after her, and then they were gone, forever. At peace, he took at his phone and dialed. After three rings, she picked up.

"Callie?" he said into the receiver. "Hey baby. I just wanted to tell you that I love you."


	33. Chapter 33

**Note:** _Thank you so much for those of you who have taken the time to read, but especially those of you who left such nice reviews. You truly make my day! For your reviews on the last chapter, thank you to Hero76, Caranath, Frankenstein's Bride, sm2003495, EvergreenDreamweaver, ChrisCorso, hbndgirl, Drumboy100, ErinJordan, max2013, candylou, Highflyer, and BMSH. I appreciate everyone's support and always love to hear what you think! :)_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 33

End of February

Joe finished packing his bags for the weekend excursion he would be going on with Biff. It had been ages since he'd gone away for a guy's weekend, but this time, fun would be secondary to the mission he would be embarking on. It was a month later than he had hoped it would be, but, finally, he would get some answers for Vanessa. It was way overdue.

He was moving a few last minute items in the second master bedroom, located downstairs in Frank and Callie's house. They had only been moved in for a week, but Joe had enjoyed every minute of it. Frank was recovering slowly and really did need his help with mobility. He'd been able to drive Frank to doctor's appointments and to work every day, and it was just so nice and relaxing to spend time with him, now that the serious cases were over. While business was booming, the current cases were more typical, which was exactly what they all needed at the moment.

He'd started attending classes at the local community college to specialize in children endangerment and sexual assault cases, with everyone's blessing. Already, with his license, he was responsible for private investigations, bail enforcement agents, watch, guard and patrol agencies, and security clearances. But now, he was trying to expand his horizons. He didn't know where the future would lead, but he felt it promising. When Frank was recovered, he would be getting licensed and insured as an international private investigator, specializing in anti -money laundering, perfect for his math degree, and he would be taking courses to start working with counter-terrorism agencies, which meant upping his foreign language skills. He, too, wanted to work with children. Both of them were pursuing their passions, yet still working together with their father, and it was the best of both worlds.

Above all, living with Frank and Callie for the next several months was going to be crazy, fun, trying, and special, all at the same time. They were different people, but their bond was stronger than ever. And living in a house right now with four children under two was pretty insane, but it was an adventure every day, and Joe loved it.

"Joe! Move it! I need to get my beer on!" Biff shouted to him, knocking at the door.

"Hold your horses!" Joe yelled back, before finally grabbing his overnight bags for a few days away. He would miss Frank and Pat a lot, but neither was quite up for what could be a dangerous adventure. Besides, he wanted to do this personally for his wife.

Biff opened the door. "I'm going to wait in the car. Hurry the hell up!" he complained.

Joe crossed his arms. "Good thing I wasn't naked when you opened the damned door," Joe shot back. "Privacy, dude."

"I'm spending the next few nights with you in a hotel room, and I swear to god if I get a glance of any of your nether regions, I'm out," Biff told him.

"Same goes for me," Joe quipped back. Then he gave Biff an exaggerated wink. "Okay, sweet cheeks?"

"Ugh," Biff grumbled. "I'm going in the car _now._ I just lost my appetite." He turned, and Joe saw him walk across the foyer, saying goodbye to everyone. He also overheard Biff assure Frank that he had his back, and he had to smile, knowing his two brothers would, indeed, be looking out for him.

Joe followed. On the way out, he hugged Callie, kissed all four kids, and found himself promising JJ that he would take him out and play with him as soon as he got back. JJ looked so sad that he was leaving that Joe picked him up and hugged him. "I'll be back soon, buddy. I love you lots. Watch out for Aunt Vanessa for me, okay?"

JJ nodded, but still didn't want to let go, and Joe forced himself to slow down. He loved his wild and irascible nephew, and knew how much JJ had been attached to him since he'd been born. Frank was always laughing about it, and it was cute- Joe had to admit it.

"Come on, Jonathan," Frank told him. He was holding Hope in his one arm and reading to her. "Let Uncle Joe go. He'll see you soon."

"Okay, daddy," JJ mumbled, and Joe kissed him again.

"I promise. We are going to have fun when I get back. Maybe we'll even stay up late and watch movies and party like rockstars."

Frank rolled his eyes while JJ laughed. "Wit M&M's and cookies?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"JJ," Joe replied, in mock exasperation, "it's not a party without junk food. DUH."

"Okay, Unca Joe!" He seemed happier and ran across the room to Callie, jumping on her and almost knocking her back; she sighed, but smiled at him.

"Be careful," Frank told him on the way out.

"I will be," he assured him, and squeezed his shoulder. He had one more stop to make.

He saw Vanessa in the kitchen, waiting for him, and he walked to her and took her in his arms. He kissed her forehead. "It'll be okay, baby," he told her. "It's time. How are you holding up?"

She smiled at him and nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder. "You know," she said softly, "I'm okay. I've had time to process everything and, no matter what, I know I loved my dad. I need to know the truth- so does my mom-but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I will remember loving him and him loving me. And I don't doubt that was ever true."

"That's my girl," he told her, kissing her nose.

"I AM scared, though. I wish I wasn't, but I am. You made me realize, though, that I've already accepted what he did in my mind. I've convicted him; accepted that he did bad things. I just want to know why, babe."

"You HAVE done that," he agreed. "I'll find out why, Van. But don't convict him without evidence, okay? If anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, it's a parent."

She pulled back and smiled at him. "I love you, handsome. Thank you for doing this. I will reward you properly the minute you get back."

Joe groaned before answering. "Believe me, babe, I'll be looking forward to it. Being with Biff for more than an hour is bound to kill my sex drive, but it'll be back with gusto when I see you." He grinned. "I love you and Evan and the little guy. I promise to keep in touch. Bye, baby." He hugged her tightly before picking up his bags and heading outside, where Biff sat in the driver's seat of his car.

"About freaking time," Biff grumbled. Then he smiled. "Ready? I insist on a little fun on this trip. Say goodbye to the moral high road, jackass, and hello to the Highway to Hell."

Joe snickered. Oh, boy. What was he getting himself into? Vanessa was the sole purpose for this trip. Then again…

He flipped on his iPhone and connected it to Biff's speaker system, blasting "Born to Run" by Springsteen. Biff nodded his approval and silently held up his first, which Joe tapped with his own.

Maybe this road trip with his best friend could be a _little_ fun. He suppressed a smile at the thought.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Once they arrived in Atlantic City after a long, but fun, car ride, he and Biff checked into their hotel room at the Borgata, off the strip. Joe had to admit that it was a terrific upscale casino hotel, and Biff had arranged everything for their stay. His family history with the city back in the day was pretty hardcore, and it was easy for him to get a comped room for a few nights.

Joe sprawled out on his bed and stretched, then reached for his notepad. He had to piece together a plan somehow.

"They have a hell of a buffet downstairs," Biff told him. "Want to get dinner in an hour or so?"

"Mmm hmm. Sure," Joe agreed. "I'm just trying to figure out where to start here."

"Pace yourself," Biff replied with a straight face. "Either that or say screw it and start with the hard stuff right away."

Joe chuckled. "I'm not talking about getting trashed, moron," he told him. "I mean a plan to get some answers for Van."

Biff sighed and grabbed the notebook from Joe's hand. "What the hell?" Joe asked. "Seriously, man."

"It's getting late, and everything is set up for the weekend for the case, right?"

"Yeah," Joe told him. "That's the plan. Why?"

"Then give me one night," Biff replied. "Come on, man. I love Vanessa, too. I know this trip is about her. But we haven't gone away in forever. Believe me, I know my bachelor party will be amazing, but this could be cool."

Joe went to respond sarcastically when he saw that Biff was kind of being serious. And he wasn't wrong. In truth, nothing WOULD start until tomorrow, and he hadn't been to clubs or drinking like he used to in a long time. "I'm getting too old for this," Joe told him at last. "I'm a dad and I'm married and I'm past these days."

"Oh," Biff replied dejectedly.

Joe started laughing. "But what the hell, right? YOLO."

Biff burst out in a huge smile. "You scared me there for a minute. I thought you'd become responsible or some other crazy shit like that. Completely unacceptable."

"I think you know me better than that," Joe told him, eyes twinkling. He grabbed the notebook from Biff's hands. "Dinner in an hour, then what happens in AC stays in AC."

"Hell YEAH," Biff told him, happy as a clam. "Fine. Do your detective thing. I'll research the bar options."

"You've always been a scholar," Joe teased him, but he was happy. He did need to relax; it actually helped to clear his mind.

As Biff happily scrolled through reviews of bars in the area, Joe began to focus on the real reason for the visit, and he reviewed what he knew, making a list.

 _1\. Undercover federal agent who died in A.C. Mission: investigate illegal gambling at casinos; tax evasion; possible forgery_

 _2\. No complete story on cause of death_.

 _3\. Did he die a hero? Did he save someone's life?= Good_

 _4\. Mob informant; killed an officer?= bad_

 _5\. Details sketchy. The feds denied Andrea all pension benefits. The local cops were much more supportive, but standard: killed in the line of duty._

"What did you come up with?" Biff asked after about twenty minutes.

Joe read him the list. "There's a lot I don't know. I mean, I have a lot of information, but I need to sort through things."

"Want me to help?" Biff asked.

Joe shot him a look.

"I'm serious! You know I never have answers, but I can come up with decent questions," Biff insisted.

"Okay," Joe told him after a minute. "Go ahead."

"So… like… did you get the official cause of death? He didn't disappear, right? He's buried?"

"Yeah, in the city," Joe told him. "And the official cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest… at least that's what the catalyst was."

"What did you find out about how that happened?" Biff asked, curious.

"This is what I know and who I have to see," Joe told him. "He was working undercover at the Tropicana. His supervising agent was a man named O'Malley- he's dead now. Van's dad was supposed to be infiltrating this ring to see what illegal activities were going on. I have the barest of details. I know he worked with a local cop named Gil Young. I was able to schedule a meeting with him at his home tomorrow; he's retired now."

"You think he can tell you more?" Biff queried.

"I'm hoping he can tell me something," Joe replied. "I also know there was a witness in the file somewhere named Seamus Parker, and he said only that he gave Van's dad a ride to the casino and around the city several times as his personal driver. I know he took him past Stenton Place a lot, which is an area that's seedy as hell. Van's dad wasn't afraid to go to the back alley places. Whether for good or bad reasons, I guess we'll find out. On the day he died, Parker was probably the last person to have seen him alive, so I need to speak to him. He was hard as hell to track down, but tomorrow I have an appointment to see him as well. Finally, there's a guy who just got out of jail a few years ago. When I went through the files, I saw that my father in law had some contact with him in the same time period. Last interview of the day."

Biff was trying not to smile.

"What?" Joe sighed.

"Never mind. It's stupid."

"Shocking," Joe answered dryly. He rolled his index finger to get Biff to make his point.

"The guy drove people around and his name is Parker. Like, he parks."

Joe shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"Okay, well- sounds like you have a lot planned," Biff told him. "That's good."

"It is," Joe agreed. "But any of these leads could go nowhere. The case is old, and the feds certainly aren't talking."

"This is what I don't get," Biff told him, thoughtful. "How does an agent go undercover on a specific job, and then DIE, and no one can provide details? How can the feds deny a family the pension that he earned?"

"Because if something happened in commission of a crime, and someone is convicted, the pension can be lost. You're right, though: he died before there was a trial. There WAS no trial. Andrea just got a settlement and was told that the US Government thanked him for his service, but because of circumstances that were classified, he would not receive his pension. I guess they assumed that a relatively poor single mom wouldn't even know how to begin to get answers and fight for justice, and they were right. So they fed her some line about "classified mission" and never disclosed anything more."

"That sucks," Biff told him. "Andrea didn't deserve that."

"No, she didn't," Joe agreed. "They made sure to drop the words 'mafia' and 'informant', though. Oh, and 'murder'. But they couldn't release anything more. So what was Andrea supposed to think? The government doesn't just take away benefits if a person is innocent. She was left thinking he killed someone after getting caught up in something illegal. In her position, I might think that, too."

"What about the locals?" Biff asked.

'They were much nicer to her, but didn't release details, either. One of the guys we're seeing tomorrow reached out to her at the time- that's how I got his name- and told her the opposite; said he died in the line of duty and was a true hero- but he never elaborated. And since Van's dad was a federal agent, what could a local really know? I guess we'll find out tomorrow."

"You'll get answers, Joe," Biff said, seriously. "I'll help in any way I can."

Joe smiled at him. At least he'd managed to set up these meetings, which he'd been working on steadily for over a month. On a case this old, there would be no surveillance videos; certainly time would have altered people's memories. But he had to try. "Thanks, bro," he replied. "I know."

Biff returned the grin before Joe recognized the mischief in his eyes. "Ready to head out? I may or may not have a whole agenda planned out for the night."

Joe laughed, sat up, and put the notepad aside. "Let's try not to do too much damage," he told Biff. "I have to be conscious pretty early tomorrow. But… if we start now…" Joe replied, innocently.

"Let's go!" Biff told him, and slung an arm around his shoulders.

Finally, Joe relaxed.


	34. Chapter 34

**Note:** _Only three more chapters to go after this. I really appreciate all of the support, especially from those of you who take the time to drop a kind note. To that end, for your reviews on the last chapter, thank you to hlahabibty, ChrisCorso, sm2003495, DusktoDawn21, Emerald Seas 45, EvergreenDreamweaver, max 2013, FANHB08, ErinJordan, hbndgirl, drumboy100, candylou, Ritu, BMSH, and Caranath._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 34

"How are you doing, Van?" Callie asked the next morning, as she sat across the kitchen table with her sister-in-law. Vanessa was feeding Evan some baby cereal for breakfast as Laurie sat in her high chair munching on Cheerios.

"I'm okay," Vanessa replied with a little smile. "I'm just anxious to see if Joe can find anything out."

"I'm sure that he can," Callie replied. She went to speak further, but JJ started running all over the kitchen and Hope was clinging to her tightly, as she had done with her or Frank ever since she'd come into their home. "It's okay, baby," Callie told Hope, rocking her in her arms as she simultaneously tried to control JJ, who was particularly rambunctious this morning.

Vanessa glanced at her. "How are you, Cal? You look absolutely exhausted."

At that moment, JJ decided to practice sliding across the floor, something that Joe had been teaching him in preparation for baseball...in several years. As a result, he hit into one of the chairs by the island, knocking it and the basket of paperwork in which mail was located over. Papers flew everywhere.

Callie had it. "JJ!" she yelled, losing her patience. "Knock it off! You're being a bad boy! STOP!"

JJ froze and, not used to hearing her raise her voice, started looking at the floor as big tears streamed down his face. Laurie, seeing her big brother crying, started to cry, too. Hope pulled back slightly from Callie before holding onto her even more tightly and burying her face in Callie's neck.

Callie took a deep breath and fought the tears in her own eyes, not trusting herself to speak.

"Hey," Vanessa said, gently. "Go. Laura and my mom will be here any minute. I've got the kids."

"I…" Callie began, but Vanessa shooed her away.

"Breathe. Leave Hope with Frank for a few minutes, okay? Go rest."

"I can't," Callie replied. "I-"

"Then take her and sit for a few minutes. It's fine."

Weakly, Callie nodded and mouthed "Thank you" as she took Hope out of the kitchen, soothing her as she walked to the toy room. She felt like she was going to collapse and was so grateful when she opened the door and made her way to the rocker, allowing herself a few minutes to rest her bleary eyes and fight the headache and nausea she was feeling from not eating and not sleeping.

She kissed Hope and continued to hold back tears. She hadn't slept in at least two days, trying to take care of the three babies and Frank at the same time. Out of idle curiosity, she had stepped on the scale this morning and noted she was 99 pounds, which was ridiculous. She hadn't been that tiny since she was a preteen, and, though she had always been petite, she had lost a good 7-10 pounds in the last month, which was way too much. Surviving on coffee and tea with the occasional nibble of toast was catching up to her quickly, as her diet consisted only of stress and survival instinct.

Joe and Vanessa had been a godsend in so many ways, helping with everything. Even now, she heard Vanessa tell JJ, "Little boy, that was great form on the slide. You would have totally been safe." JJ started laughing and was soon enough back to his nonstop chatter. Laurie, too, had quieted down immediately. Everyone seemed to have their life together, but she could barely function.

A few minutes later, Callie looked up as she saw the door open, and Laura Hardy stood waving. Callie managed a smile. She and Laura had always gotten along well, but she'd be lying if she said that they were close. Laura and Vanessa were very tight, always together, and she had always been an outsider. To a large extent, she knew that had been her fault: she had a lot of secrets, was reserved by nature with people she didn't know well, and knew that Laura had questioned subtly her relationship with Johnny for a long time, which made her somewhat uncomfortable. Despite that, she did love Laura, who was gracious and kind and always made time for everyone, and she was an amazing grandma. They'd started to bond a little over Christmas, and Callie wanted to develop that relationship, but she didn't even have it in her to function at the moment.

"Hi, honey," Laura said as she entered the room, sitting down on the second rocker. "Vanessa said she was worried about you. How are you doing?"

For once, Callie decided not to put up her walls. "I'm so tired," she whispered.

Laura looked at her with concern. Standing again, she bent down and took the sleeping Hope from Callie's arms and placed her in the crib beside the wall, tucking her in.

"Thank you," Callie slurred. "I can get her." She went to stand when a wave of dizziness came over her and she had to sit back down. She barely realized that Laura's arm was around her waist, and, somehow, she'd made it to the downstairs master bedroom, now shared by Joe and Vanessa. She sat on the edge of the bed.

"Sweetheart, talk to me," Laura told her, tucking a strand of Callie's golden hair behind her ear. "Please, honey. Let me help."

Callie looked into her mother-in-law's eyes, the same beautiful shade of blue as Joe's. "I'm scared," she said quietly.

Laura clasped her hands. "I'm here for you," she told her. "Callie, you look terrible. You're pale and exhausted and you can barely keep your eyes open. Tell me what's wrong."

Weakly, Callie nodded before speaking. She hated, _detested_ being vulnerable, but it was too hard to be strong. "Everything," Callie managed. "I want to be a good mom. I want to be a good wife." She choked back tears; she would not cry. "I'm so, so exhausted, Laura. Frank said that three kids under two would be too much. And I know you feel the same way. But I love them so much. And Hope needs me… and Frank. She needs love and stability and safety, and I have to give that to her."

"Go on," Laura told her, rubbing her hands, listening patiently.

"Frank needs me, too. He's doing better- thank God- but he still needs rest and recovery. He can barely walk, and Joe has been such a help. I… I'm not strong enough to help him get around. I have to cook and clean and stay on top of my job. I'm being pulled in a million directions and everyone is so much better than me at this." She wiped at her eyes, holding the tears at bay. "You have it all together and so does Vanessa. I'm not that good at being bad at things." She managed a little laugh. "That's all."

Laura leaned forward and embraced Callie tightly, and Callie held onto her, taking strength from her presence.

"Thank you for listening," Callie told her.

After a few minutes, Laura pulled back. She kept her arm around Callie. "Sweetheart, I'm going to be blunt, if I may."

Callie nodded, rubbing her eyes. "I'm used to Joe," she joked lightly. "I can take it."

"You are an excellent mother," Laura told her, and Callie felt her heart constrict a bit listening to the words that she didn't even know that she had needed to hear. "You have beautiful babies and they love their mommy so much. You don't even see how they look to you for everything, even more than Frank. That, honey, is a woman's burden and pleasure. Mommies are special people. It is hard and overwhelming and never gets easier, but you've done so well thus far and you will continue to do so- I know that. You are loving and patient, funny and smart. Go easy on yourself."

Callie managed a small smile.

"And my son loves you, adores you; he always has. You are his anchor and his other half. I could not have asked for a better life partner for him. I mean that."

Callie wiped at her eyes as tears threatened to fall.

"You need to take care of yourself and please - learn to lean on others. You and Frank are so alike in that way, and I tell him the same thing. Callie, I love you. Joe and Vanessa love you. So many people want to help you. It takes a village to raise a child, and you have three. Let us help you. Soon, when you eat right again and get some sleep, you'll gain perspective and you'll be strong enough to handle it on your own. And then you know what?"

"What?" Callie asked.

"Then we will STILL help you, as we help each other, because we all love those babies and you and Frank. You are always there for us and for Joe and Vanessa. This isn't a favor, Callie, or an I owe you. It's family, and we are so fortunate to have each other. So many people don't."

"Thank you," she replied, voice tight. "Laura…"

"One more thing," Laura said, kindly. "Something you said is wrong. Frank mentioned, when this all went down, that he was nervous about having three kids so young. Know what I told him?"

"No," Callie replied softly.

"I told him that he's HUMAN, and anyone would be scared about it. I told him he's a wonderful father, as he's a wonderful son. Everyone feels the same way as you do, sweetheart, but not everyone tries to do it alone. Don't you! And one more, very important thing."

Callie looked up.

"My son loves that little girl," she told her, voice ripe with emotion. "And so do I. Your friendship with John was so strong and he was such a kind man. He made the ultimate sacrifice for you, and, for that, my family will forever be in his debt. You are a treasure and you are as much my daughter as Vanessa is. I'm so sorry we haven't been closer, but I will make it my goal to have that happen. I have two sons I love with every fiber of my being, and two daughters who I feel the same way about. You're all different, but one is no less precious to me than another. That beautiful baby is going to be my fourth grandchild, my third with you and Frank. I will love her fiercely, I will protect her, and I will treat her like my flesh and blood."

That did it. Callie started sobbing and the floodgates opened. Trembling, she held onto Laura who stroked her hair and continued to comfort her. For the first time ever, she felt like she was in the arms of her mother. Somehow, she couldn't even say how or when, she found herself falling asleep on the bed. She remembered a blanket being tucked around her and the sweet floral scent of Laura's perfume as she felt a kiss on her cheek.

"Goodnight, honey," she heard vaguely.

"Night... _mom,_ " she felt herself whisper, light as the breeze.

Watching her daughter, Laura smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joe stretched as he looked at his watch the next morning at 9:00 and waited for Biff to emerge from the shower to start their day. He'd gone to the buffet in the lobby and picked up four cups of coffee, which was sorely needed. Even though he had long and very important tasks ahead of him, he found himself smiling as he thought of last night.

He and Biff had started drinking early and had finished drinking finished late, and it had been a blast. With all the drama of the past month, the pressures of adulthood, and the responsibilities that came with a family, he had welcomed the opportunity to have just one night away with his best friend, and he hadn't been disappointed.

After goofing around meandering from bar to bar and casino to casino, they'd decided that, if they were being honest, they didn't want to visit any clubs without their significant others. It just wasn't fun anymore to go dancing without Karen or Vanessa. They'd ended up losing more money than they really should have had in the first place in intense games of craps and roulette, and just when he had started to panic about Vanessa actually killing kim, somehow Biff convinced him to get involved in a high end poker match. Joe had always been good at the game, and Biff had always been successful as well. They'd won big time, quadrupling their money, and then proceeded to spend half of it on gifts for the girls.

No matter what, last night had been crazy and fun and he'd laughed more than he had in a long time. It was exactly what he'd needed to refocus and re-energize.

Biff emerged from the bathroom, fully dressed, thankfully, and towel drying his hair. He sauntered over to Joe and grabbed a cup of coffee, yawning and stretching, himself. "So we're alive," he said nonchalantly as he plopped into a nearby chair. "I was worried there for a bit." He gave a mischievous smile.

Joe returned the grin. "Not gonna lie. Last night did _not_ suck."

Biff nodded, happy. "Good thing I'm a freaking genius at poker," he quipped.

"More like an idiot savant," Joe replied with a straight face.

"Ha ha," Biff replied dryly. "That's hilarious. You just wish you had my talent. Hey!" he went on. "Once we get the answers for Van, we should come back and bet all the winnings and get a penthouse suite and invite the honeys over for a wild and crazy night."

Joe met his eyes, suppressing a smile, knowing Biff was full of crap. "You know what makes sense?" he asked.

"What? Biff asked.

"Literally anything other than what you say."

"Hey Joe?" Biff said, meeting his eyes. "You're like the Y of the vowels, man. You kind of make sense, but not really."

Joe started laughing, trying not to choke on his coffee. He called upon a good insult he'd heard awhile ago from the recesses of his memory. "Hey Biff?" he answered back, knowing full well this stupidity could go on forever, but enjoying it nonetheless. "If I wanted to kill myself, I would climb up your ego and jump down to your IQ level, brother."

Biff snorted. "Your jokes are as useful to me as a knitted condom, man."

By the time another ten minutes had passed, both of them were wiping back tears from laughing so much. Finally, Joe caught his breath, though he kept chuckling everytime he thought of one of Biff's retorts. "I have to hand it to you," he said at last. "What you lack in looks and brains you make up for in bad insults."

Biff rolled his eyes. "Okay, pal. Let's grab a quick breakfast. Are you ready now to get some answers?"

Joe breathed evenly and finally nodded, serious. "I am. I know what I'll be asking. I have to get some answers for her, Biff. I owe it to her and I made her a promise."

"You will," Biff assured him. "You always do. And I'll be right here to help you out. I just needed you to relax a little. You always do better when you don't think."

Joe raised his brows. "I was about to insult you back, but I actually know what you mean, and you're right. I think I need to follow my gut on this one." He looked right at Biff, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Thanks, man. I'm glad you came out here with me. I had a great time."

"Good," Biff replied, simply. "Glad to be here."

As they left the room with their bags, Biff playfully shoved Joe down the hallway, and they barely avoided a wrestling match as they fooled around.

"We'll head out soon," Joe told him as they made their way to the lobby. "Remember, you just let me do the taking. Just stay by me if I need you. Otherwise, just play the role of the stupid blond. You've had years of practice."

"God, I am so freaking jealous of people who don't know you," Biff shot back, and Joe laughed.

No matter the danger and uncertainty that the day held in store, he felt incredibly fortunate to have his best friend by his side.


	35. Chapter 35

**Note:** _Here we are, folks, at the last chapter before the two- chapter conclusion. This chapter is dedicated to the talented author Drumboy100 (and BF!) who helped me with some of the "in the know" Atlantic City details. All credit to these minute details that establish the setting go to her!_ _Thanks for sticking with the story and for your support, which has meant so much to me. For your reviews on the last chapter, many thanks to Hero 76, Paulina Ann, Drumboy100, Frankenstein's Bride, Caranath, EvergreenDreamweaver, hbndgirl, candylou, MooninScorpio, HighFlyer, sm2003495, BMSH, ChrisCorso, max2013, and Erin Jordan. I so enjoy hearing what you all have to say- you make me think! Enjoy! :)_

Relative Fortune

Chapter 35

Joe looked at Biff for a quick moment before knocking on the door to Gil Young's townhouse at 11:00 as scheduled. He waited, a bit nervous, to speak with the man who might be able to provide him with some insight into what had really gone down with Vanessa's father a quarter of a century ago. Finally the door opened, and a distinguished-looking man with salt and pepper hair who looked to be close to sixty smiled at him.

"Joe?" he asked.

"Mr. Young," Joe replied, returning the grin. "Thank you for seeing me." He turned to Biff, who reached out to shake his hand. "This is my best friend, Biff Hooper. He's keeping me company on this trip as I try to get some answers for my wife."

"Welcome," Young replied. "Please- call me Gil. Biff, Joe- come on in." He waved them into his humble and homey residence, holding out his hand as he indicated for them to take a seat.

"So how can I help you?" he asked kindly. "I must admit I was intrigued when I received your call. I haven't heard the name Bender in a long, long time."

"Well, sir," Joe began, sincerely, "there seems to be a lot of uncertainty relating to how he died and what actually happened." He launched into the whole story, and saw that Gil was watching him and listening closely. He ended with, "so, you see, my wife is pregnant with our second baby, and she, along with my mother-in-law, Andrea, need some answers. I know they'll be difficult to get, since he died so long ago and the circumstances are sketchy at best. I was hoping you could tell me about him; what you know."

Gil paused for a few minutes before answering, and Joe tried to breathe evenly and to remain patient. He had only the truth on his side, which, though sparse, was something. And he had no agenda other than to get answers for his family, whatever those answers would turn out to be.

"I don't know too much, son," he said at last. "But I'll tell you what I know, and tell you my opinion, for what it's worth."

"Please. That would be great," Joe encouraged him.

"Vinnie was a good man," he started out, slowly, and Joe released a small breath he hadn't realized that he had been holding. "I only met him for a few weeks all those years ago, but I remember that he was very bright and personable. I met him quite by accident. At the time, I was an Atlantic City cop. The city isn't big- only about 17 miles," he went on, steadily, "and it can seem glamorous on the strip with the casinos, concerts, shows, and shopping. But it's also a cesspool of violence, drugs, prostitution; there is a serious homeless issue and it is a very dangerous area. You can see for yourself the extent of poverty once you get off the main strip. Even now, casinos are shutting down as internet gambling, as well as casinos in Pennsylvania, have given the city serious competition in the last decade."

"Yeah, I know it's been hurting a lot and there have been marketing campaigns designed to get people back," Biff cut in. "Wasn't a slogan _DO AC_?" he asked.

Gil smiled. "Yes, indeed," he answered.

Joe smiled. Leave it to Biff to know about gambling and logos with innuendo.

"I knew that Vinnie was a federal agent. That wasn't totally classified, because he would need support from the locals to really infiltrate the casinos and get a feel for the city and its...culture," he added, after thinking of the correct word. "He met with me and my supervisor, along with my partner, who has since passed away. I knew that his mission was to work undercover at the Tropicana. He was trying to infiltrate a mafia monopoly at the casino. Everyone knew the mob ran that casino. When you get the mob, you get threats, tax evasion, money laundering… nothing good. He went in for a few weeks, reported what was going on to us and his supervisor. The guy was razor sharp with figures, and he had starting gathering evidence through tax receipts and people talking. Let me tell you, the guy left no stone un-turned. He knew where to hang out, talked to the locals. I remember that he would walk around Ducktown, where the Italians gathered back in the day. He even figured out that Angelo's and Angelini's was where the mafia ate-everybody knew which tables they sat at and knew not to sit there, but no one told him directly. He determined that on his own." He smiled before continuing. "I mean, he was really damned good at his job. He told me once that the celebrities who used to eat at the White House Sub Shop were talkers and many of them were involved in "the life," you know?" He chuckled as a memory seemed to hit him. "He was down to earth. Real nice. We used to argue over the merits of the pizza at Tony's Baltimore Grill, which-trust me- is the best pizza on the east coast. He said it tasted like cardboard, though. Weird how you remember random facts like that. Anyway, he was making a huge dent in the case. Then one day- he died. And I never heard about him again."

"What happened?" Joe asked, desperate to soak up as much information as he could. As much as he needed to know more, he committed to memory every detail that Gil noted, knowing how much these little anecdotes would mean to Vanessa and Andrea.

Gil's face took on a somber tone. "His supervisor, a guy named O'Malley, who is also now deceased, was a son of a bitch. I never liked the guy, and he had a bad reputation in the inner circles. Some people thought he was actually in collusion with the mafia, because he drove around in an expensive car, wore expensive clothing- didn't act like someone on a fed's salary."

Joe's hung on every word. "Gil... tell me what you think happened. Please. It'll give me something to go on."

Gil shrugged, shaking his head disdainfully. "What I think happened is that Vinnie Bender got in over his head. My own theory is that the damned feds set him up as the fall guy."

"Meaning?" Joe asked.

"Meaning that the feds were getting a cut of the mob's profits," he said with disgust. "They HAD to investigate, so they send in a young agent with only a few years on the job to find out a few facts, report back, and then move on- maybe take out a low level member or two to seem successful. Only they didn't count on him being so good or above reproach. And I think that he was probably killed as a directive from the agency, itself."

Joe gasped, felt his heart pounding. He felt Biff's hand on his back.

"Son, I can't prove any of this. You'll never be able to, either. But the memory of that man has stuck with me for all of these years because he was kind and honorable and he died because someone thought he was a little too good. Then we heard rumors that he was denied a pension; that he supposedly killed someone and was actually working for the mob and taking cuts, himself." Gil sat forward, hands crossed under his chin. "I call bullshit. No freaking way. Not that guy. He'd always talk about his wife and little girl when we'd hang out; he adored them. He was so damned excited to be making a difference. That's why we tried to help his wife, tried to raise some PBA funds for his family, because the locals here- we knew that he wasn't that guy, and we were sick of the corruption. AC is still a shitty place, but it's not the epicenter of the mob anymore. I think Vinnie's death helped to change that, eventually."

Joe swallowed hard, processing all of the information.

"That's all I've got, but your tell your wife that her daddy loved her, and that, to the people who have been around a long ass time, like I have, we believe he was framed. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise, or to say that he was a coward. Know why?"

Joe shook his head. "No."

"He was shot in the front. Cowards run. Whoever killed him, he looked him in the eye and he probably put up a hell of a fight."

"Thank you," Joe said as he finished. "Thank you so much. You have no idea what your words will mean to Vanessa and Andrea."

"You tell them I'm sorry for what they endured. Corruption runs deep in every circle. I believe that most cops, most agents are good people. But times were different and when money is involved, sometimes there is collateral damage. Sometimes that damage comes in human form."

Joe stood, along with Biff, and they both thanked him again and shook hands. Then, they turned to leave. In the car, Joe leaned his head against the steering wheel for a moment. He felt Biff reach over and squeeze his forearm.

"That was a hell of a story," Biff said quietly. "It's amazing and horrible all at the same time, you know?"

Joe leaned back. "Yes, it is," he responded solemnly. He smiled a little. "But god- as hard as it's been to track him down, that guy might have just given Van and Andrea the peace they've been searching for."

"Onto stop 2?" Biff asked.

Joe just nodded, and started the car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The day got more intense as detail after detail began to get filled in. Seamus Parker had served as Vinnie's personal driver while he was undercover in the city. His tale was quite different from Young's, but he also adamantly defended Vinnie's honor. According to Parker, Vinnie had told him that his cover was that he had been asked by his boss to deliver a new Bentley from NYC to Atlantic City for a client, where he would be posing as a shark in the casino. As a high roller, he would have access to the best of the city- literally anything he wanted. Of course, the funds would be provided by the feds, but he would need real skill to believed an expert gambler. Vinnie had told him he'd studied the scene and games for close to a year.

One the day he died, a few weeks after his arrival at the casino, Vinnie had earned the wrath of the son of one of the mafia bosses, who had taken exception to Vinnie beating him at poker. In the resulting fight, the son had gotten very drunk, tripped, and accidentally hit his head on the sharp corner of a counter, the result of which was that he died hours later. Before he had tripped, the son had taken out a gun and went to shoot him, but Vinnie had narrowly missed the errant shot. Vinnie had called his boss to let him know the turn of events.

It was all becoming more clear to Joe now. The rumors of his father-in-law killing a man were false. Anthony Garagiola had tried to kill him, and he had died accidentally.

Making matters worse, Garagiola's father had become enraged and Vinnie had heard rumors that he was now paying for a hit on his life as revenge for what he perceived to be the intentional killing of his son.

He was therefore on the run from the mafia and had known he'd had to get out. That was all that he had told Parker, along with the fact that he was certain that his boss, O'Malley, would be able to maintain his cover and smooth over the whole situation.

He was dead the next day.

By the time Joe and Biff arrived at the final interview of the day, a former convict named Lloyd Sanchez, Joe's head was spinning. He'd gotten the answers to what he had needed to know, but it only quenched his thirst for vengeance more. He was still reeling from Kirk's betrayal of the badge in the Santitori case, balanced against the surprisingly resourceful loyalty of Vogelthorpe and the heroism of officers like Pat and Sean; Chief Collig.

Sanchez had spoken candidly at his home. He had been the one to pull the trigger, and Young had been correct- Vinnie had fought hard. Sanchez, remorseful, was imprisoned for only five years for the crime.

Joe flashed to the conversation.

" _You KILLED him?" He could barely control his fury. "You ADMIT it?"_

" _I served five years," Sanchez said, wringing his hands nervously._

" _You KILLED my father -in -law!" Only Biff's grabbing his arm had prevented him from killing Sanchez himself._

" _Look," Sanchez replied, unusually quiet. "I know you might not believe this, but I'm sorry. I really am."_

 _Joe felt like he was going to snap._

" _What happened?" Biff asked, the voice of reason for once. "You owe my friend an explanation at the very least."_

 _Sanchez looked down for a long moment before continuing. "I wasn't going to meet you," he said evenly. "This is in my past; I owe nothing anymore. I paid my debt. But I never got over it. And I DO want to tell someone- finally- what happened."_

" _Which is what?" Biff asked. Joe didn't trust himself to talk, as Biff's hand on his arm was the only thing grounding him at the moment._

 _Sanchez took a deep breath. "I was a kid," he said, simply. "22 years old. I was a thug, man. Drugs, gangs- you name it. I was going nowhere fast."_

" _You do not have my sympathy," Joe seethed._

" _I don't want it. I just want to explain. I had a bit of a reputation back in the day," he went on. "I was ruthless. One day this guy approached me and asked if I was interested in a little transaction. Hell yeah I was. He gave me the details: kill the guy- Vinnie Bender- for $50,000. It was a no brainer, man. I got the time and the place. He was there- I killed him. I got jail time, but it was only 5 years, because I was assured that someone would make sure that it seemed like self -defense."_

" _Did you ask who he was? You trusted someone who paid you to kill someone? That wasn't smart," Joe replied, barely keeping his voice even._

" _It was one of the mafia guys- I knew that. Everyone knew they were all over, and they were scary, man. Gangs got nothing on them- they made people disappear all the time. They had the judges and law enforcement in their back pockets. I asked him how he knew that I'd be okay, and he said that the US government would thank me for my service."_

 _Biff stayed in place as Joe walked outside and took shaky breaths. This was unbelievable. Vanessa's dad was an honorable man; a good agent. He'd been betrayed by the mafia on one hand completely by accident, but that- that he could swallow. It was his job, and he knew the risks. No, the part that turned his stomach was that Agent O'Malley had colluded with the Garagiola crime family to set up Vinnie as the fall man in a case that was ripe in corruption from the feds to the mafia to this degenerate street thug._

Suddenly, a fog started to lift. Gil Young was still angry all these years later, and Joe had a strong feeling that he would want to make it right. Seamus Parker could authenticate Young's story, and vice versa. And this guy- he seemed repentant. Maybe…..

He marched in and stood in front of Sanchez, arms crossed and eyes flashing. "You willing to make this right?" Joe asked. "You can never make up for what you did, but I can give you one chance to do the right thing."

"What?" Sanchez asked. He looked tired.

"Would you be willing to testify in court under oath that what you say is true?"

"No one would believe me, man. You've got to be kidding." His eyes were wide.

"I'm not kidding." Joe's voice was deadly calm.

"What good would it do?" Sanchez stammered. "Everyone is dead, man."

"It would do a lot of good," Joe replied evenly. "I can get other witnesses to corroborate your story. It would restore, formally, the reputation of a man whose life you took. It would allow his widow to receive his benefits. AND it would give you a chance to set the story straight and maybe get anyone else who worked with his supervisor and who is still living to pay the price for their actions, all these years later."

"I don't know," Sanchez replied, hesitantly.

"Yes or no?" Joe went back at him. "Listen, I think you're a low life piece of shit and I will never forgive you for what you did. But if it brings peace to my wife and her mother, then I'm willing to entertain the possibility. The very fact that you're alive and free and not behind bars is enough to make me sick, but you can at least try to do one good thing."

Sanchez paused for several moments, during which Joe did not move at all, staring right at him. When he looked up, Joe was stunned to see the tears in his eyes. "All right. I'll do it. And I'll make your day even better." He met Joe's eyes directly. "I have stage 4 colon cancer and I won't live a year… maybe not 6 months. So my existence won't torment you anymore. I'm truly sorry for what I did."

Joe just nodded, and walked out of the house. He saw Biff in the distance.

In the car, Joe breathed deeply and fought his own tears. He had gotten answers and he would finish this out. Sanchez, Parker, and Young: he knew he could persuade them all to testify. He would use every contact he'd ever made in the FBI and CIA, any of his dad's contacts, to help. He would get justice for Vanessa and Andrea.

A huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

As Biff sat quietly next to him, Joe took out his cell phone. Vanessa picked up after the first ring.

"Hey baby," he said softly. "I'm coming home. And I have a story for you. I'll tell you the whole thing in a few hours- make sure your mom comes to the house. But baby? Your dad loved you, sweetheart. And he was innocent."

As he heard Vanessa gasp into the phone, it was as if she took his heart and soul into her body through the air. "I think we can proudly tell Evan where that cute little dimple comes from. I'll see you soon, honey. I love you."

He hung up the phone, turned to Biff, and hugged him tightly.

Somehow, with no drama, no injuries, no real danger... and a lot of luck, a supportive best friend, and good detective work and research...he'd fulfilled his promise to his wife.

Finally, it was over.


	36. Chapter 36

**Note:** _Thank you for supporting the story. I had a lot to wrap up, so this is Part 1 of the conclusion. In a few days, I will post the second and final chapter (which in itself is close to 9,000 words!). I am so thankful for everyone who is reading the story. Special thanks to those who left a review on the last chapter: hbndgirl, Paulina Ann, ChrisCorso, sm2003495, Drumboy100, EvergreenDreamweaver, Hero 76, ErinJordan, max2013, Caranath, BMSH, HighFlyer, and candylou._

Relative Fortune

Chapter 36

Conclusion

Part 1- Five Months Later

"So, we're in agreement then? 7:30?" Joe asked his sister- in-law as they prepared for the huge party that would be taking place in a few hours. He set up yet another batch of balloons as he watched the deejay start to get ready and set out the equipment… and it was only eleven. The party wouldn't start for at least another two hours.

Callie turned to him, her dark eyes twinkling and a huge smile lighting up her whole face. She adjusted her ponytail and grabbed his hand, leaning against him, giggling. "Joey, I am so unreasonably excited. We're so bad."

Joe snickered and hugged her with one arm, kissing the top of her head. When Frank caught sight of them in the distance, he raised his hands in a "what gives" fashion, and Joe just shrugged and blew him a kiss, which was enough for Frank to roll his eyes and turn back to his conversation.

"I swear to god, I think you started already," he told her, still chuckling. "This really is stupid that we have to PLAN this. But you need to defer to me," he reminded her. "I know how it's done. I'm a freaking pro. PACE yourself. I have the schedule down. And have lots of water ready."

Callie started giggling again, and Joe laughed along with her. It was so nice, so … perfect, as it should have been all along… to see her happy.

Her face was flushed and she bit her lip. "It's been such a long time," she said. "We are so old."

"Speak for yourself, woman," he joked with her as he released her to get more balloons.

After a few more minutes of setting up, Joe stood back, crossed his arms, and smiled. "Looks damned good, sis, if I do say so myself."

"It sure does," she acknowledged, and Joe slipped an arm around her shoulders, where they stood in silence for several minutes.

Today was going to be perfect for so many reasons. It was a glorious day towards the end of July, and the weather could not have been more cooperative. Frank and Callie's expansive house and several acre property were decorated to the nines, with balloons and tents and a dance floor set up outside as the caterers arrived. The far corner of the property hosted blow up slides and bounce castles, children's games, even a carousel rented for the day. The huge saltwater pool was filled with blow ups and with lounge chairs all around. It was a stark contrast to the area of the house closest to the dance floor, surrounded by white tents with curtains and what would be up-lighting this evening. It was as if two events were taking place, and, in effect, that's exactly what would be happening. It was the one and only time Joe could remember his brother and sister -in -law, normally so reserved and private, being so lavish. No expense was spared.

"Well, party 1 starts at one," she said, wistful.

"And party 2 starts at seven," he answered.

"You okay?" he asked her, when he saw her wipe a tear from her eye. "A minute ago you were laughing at the silliness that's going to go down."

She rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm so happy," she told him, voice a little shaky. "I have everything I ever wanted in my life," she went on.

He turned her towards him. "You have been through hell," he told her, serious for a minute. "And you deserve every single bit of this joy."

She wiped at her eyes again. "I feel him here," she said. "I feel like he's…"

"Go on," Joe told her, meeting her eyes and taking her seriously.

"I almost feel like he's wrapping his arms around me; around my family. I feel… protected… by my beautiful best friend in heaven, by my amazing husband and soulmate on earth, and by my brother". She reached up and cupped both sides of his face. "I love you, Joey. You mean the world to me and to so many people. My babies adore you; you are Frank's other half. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you've ever done for me, for saving Hope. You enabled my family to be complete. You are one of the best friends I ever had… despite the rocky start," she managed.

Joe embraced her tightly, wiping his own eyes. "Damn, Callie. This was supposed to be a little planning session on how crazy drunk we're all going to get tonight. Why'd you have to get all girly on me?"

Callie laughed against his shoulder before pulling back and swatting his arm. "Sorry, you stupid jerk. Better?"

"Much," he replied, finishing wiping the wetness from his face. " Eye sweat," he pointed out.

She rolled her eyes and turned to go into the house. She had a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time, and phase two would not be easy.

She heard him come up behind her; he always made enough noise now to let her know he was there. He leaned in close and kissed her cheek, whispering softly in her ear, "I love you a lot, too."

In the next instant, he was gone, on his own mission, as she well knew.

She turned, contented.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Callie passed Frank and Vanessa, who were seated together on a lounge chair, talking, and she paused for a moment and watched them as she entered the house. Vanessa was due to give birth any minute- well, next week, actually- and she was all belly. She was also glowing and perfect and beautiful, and Callie knew how excited she was to announce the baby's name formally before the birth next week. Frank was cuddling Hope in one arm and Laurie in another, and the sight was almost too beautiful for words.

Any doubt that she had ever had about Frank having enough love in his heart for another baby had been diminished immediately. He had fallen in love with Hope as he had with Laurissa, made even more of an effort to spend as much time as he could with her, to show her what a real father was; that she was special and worthy and perfect in his eyes. He treated her the same way he treated JJ and Laurie, and, though one day Hope would know her true parents, right now she would be her daughter alone; the thought warmed her through her whole being, and she swore she felt Johnny around her.

She had watched with greatest joy when Joe and Vanessa put the pain of her father's past behind her. Though Joe and Van would be moving into their own house within the next month and Joe, Frank, Biff, and their friends were preparing the home each day, Callie knew she would miss them terribly when they left. Though they were only moving a few streets away, there was nothing like sharing their lives together, watching all four babies learn and grow and play and love together. Soon, baby five, probably the last, would complete that next generation.

She loved watching Frank and Vanessa talk and laugh and bond with each other. It had taken them years to open up to each other, but they finally had, and they were really good friends now, which delighted both her and Joe.

Their family and their friends were their everything; their relative fortune in the world; the only fortune that mattered.

She took a moment to reflect on the cases that had transpired in February, when they'd almost lost Pat and Frank and Hope, when Joe's heroism and Nancy's bravery and Biff's loyalty had been the glue for all of them to find their way to what was important in life. How rich they were; what a beautiful life they had.

Those cases had shown the very worst and the very best in people; in families and friends. Maura Griffin had ordered her own daughter to be killed when Tanya had proven not to be so perfect; Amanda Madison hadn't cared about Hope; had wanted to use her for money. Callie's eyes stung at the thought; her precious daughter, Johnny and now Frank's baby girl… thrown aside for a perceived fortune as well. Stella Santitori abused by relatives who didn't think her own mother was good enough for her, used to teach her a lesson. Tommy Rydell, whose ordeal would forever scar his parents' hearts, another innocent victim of the sickest in society.

Conversely, Griffin's brother was a good, decent person who assisted the cops in any way possible. Johnny would have given his life for his daughter, would have been so proud to be a father and would have been one of the greatest. She did feel his love around her, now more than ever, as his daughter became her own. Jessica Santitori would make it, loved Stella, was earnestly trying to turn her life around, and Callie knew that Frank had formed a bond with her; would help her financially to get her life on track, and she was fine with that. In fact... Callie smiled, thinking about it.

Life was funny that way. Family and friends were the flip sides to the coin of enemies and evil. Frank and Joe were the best of friends, blood brothers and soul mates in their own right, but Frank had had Johnny; had Phil, had so many people who loved him. And Joe was the epitome of fun and goodness, was as tight as could be with Biff, closely followed by Pat. They both had throngs of friends from childhood, school, work… life. Their circle of love kept expanding, and she was grateful beyond words to be a part of it. The past and the present and the future spun people out and reeled them back in and, in the end, the people who mattered remained.

That's what tonight would be about.

That's what today _was_ about.

That's what she had to do now; acknowledge who mattered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

She had invited Nancy and Ned Nickerson to visit for a few days, and, to her astonishment, they'd accepted the invitation. Nancy had proven invaluable in the investigation to get back Hope, and, for that, she would always be grateful. Besides, today was about life and fortune and all that was good, and, to that end, she had a loose end to tie up.

It was time.

She had asked Nancy to come about fifteen minutes early, and Callie knew she was inside, chatting with Fenton. Ned, handsome and laid back, was joking with Chet about something.

Callie walked into the kitchen and greeted them all warmly. After a few minutes of catching up, Callie asked Nancy if she could speak with her privately, and Nancy readily agreed. Callie led her to the front porch, where the two women now stood.

"Thank you for coming," Callie began. "It's… it's nice to see you. And thank you again for everything you did to help get Hope to me and Frank. I had to tell you in person."

"I'm glad it worked out," Nancy replied, smiling. "You have a beautiful house and an absolutely perfect family," she went on. "I mean that. You should be so proud."

'I am," Callie replied. "Thank you." _Here goes_ , she thought, and took a deep breath. "I owe you an apology," Callie told her. "And I wanted to tell you that in person as well."

Nancy looked confused. "Me? Why? I don't understand."

Callie looked down for a moment before responding. Finally, she met her eyes. "I don't like people who are inauthentic and jealous. I was one of them. I didn't trust you, even when you came through for me and Frank."

Nancy looked taken aback, unsure of how to respond, but Callie forced herself to continue. "You see, Nancy," she said quietly, "on the case with Hope, I knew you researched just the tiniest bit about John and made a lot of assumptions about his character: he left a woman after he got her pregnant, after all. At least that's what it looked like. But it wasn't true. And I know you didn't really understand my relationship with him; a lot of people don't, and I'm okay with that. I'm going to tell you a little secret. For a long time, Frank didn't, either. I think he thought I could have been in love with John, but I wasn't. That was wrong, too. And it made me think."

Nancy looked completely shocked, and Callie swallowed hard. These truths were painful to acknowledge to herself, much less to her 'enemy', but she needed to. "It made me realize that, deep down, I never really acknowledged and confronted your past with Frank. Believe me, I don't doubt his love for me, and I'm sure you and Ned are very happy as well."

"We are," Nancy replied, blushing. "We don't have to rehash this. We were kids."

"You were," Callie answered. "Frank was. You were both kids in the sense that you were immature and apparently didn't know what you wanted. I wasn't immature. I knew I loved him. And, if I am being totally honest, I think immaturity is a cop out. You made a choice and so did Frank. You chose to cheat on Ned and Frank chose to cheat on me. You're both culpable. And you can both never undo the damage that resulted from your choices." She met Nancy's eyes directly. "You can choose to dislike me, and I'm really okay with that. I can do the same to you. Who wouldn't be a little jealous of you? You're gorgeous and smart and adventurous and, if I were less of a woman, I would want you the hell away from my husband."

"You're being pretty rude for someone who asked me to fly across the country to be a part of this day." Nancy looked hurt. "I'll leave."

"Yes, I am," Callie agreed, yet she reached out and gently touched Nancy's arm. "But I need to be true to myself. I forgave Frank, and we have built a beautiful life together. And I'm here to tell you that I forgive you, too, because my instinct tells me that you're a good person. So I am asking you NOT to leave; to forgive me for my rudeness. But I would rather be your friend completely and honestly and openly rather than to note, as Shakespeare once did, 'there's daggers in men's smiles.'* I'm not a phony."

"Thank you, Holden Caulfield,"** Nancy replied.

Callie managed a smile. "A person who gets literature references is a person I like," she replied. "So, Nancy, please accept my apology for being a phony for a little bit. I'd like to start over, because if you're my friend, you're my friend. Period."

Nancy paused for a long moment, and Callie stood stoically. She'd said her peace, felt more assured that, despite her harsh facade, she spoke truth. She always did.

"Well then," Nancy said at last, "I would ask you to accept my apology as well. Ned and I worked through this; you and Frank seem to have done so. It happened a long time ago. And you're right- saying it was a mistake was a cop out. I really did think for a bit that Frank and I may have had something special." She paused again, and Callie tried not to flinch. It still hurt, stupidly, all these years later. But Nancy was being honest, and that's what she had wanted.

"Okay," Callie managed.

"Let me tell you this," Nancy said, her beautiful blue eyes sincere. "I almost blew it with the man I love, and he forgave me. He loved me so much despite the fact that I screwed up royally. And Frank loved you then, too, Callie. He really did. And when you broke up, he did call me and accepted total responsibility for everything. I have never heard Frank so devastated. Can we really move on as friends now? Truth be told, I miss Frank and Joe a lot, and I've enjoyed getting a glimpse into your life. I'd like you all to visit River Heights, too. You can meet my best friends, Bess and George; Frank and Joe always knew them, too. Plus, Fenton and my dad used to be pretty tight. If today is about family and friends, let's let it be about that. Accept my apology?"

"I do," Callie responded, letting out a breath. "Do you accept mine?"

"Yes," Nancy responded. She held out her hand. "Shake on it?"

Callie laughed in spite of herself. That conversation had been hard and painful, but she'd done it. And she felt good. The best parts of this day were ahead. "No," Callie responded. "I hug my friends."

Nancy finally smiled and, as Callie embraced her, she felt the circle expand just a little more.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie stole away for just a few minutes before she would return to spend the afternoon with her family. Since February, she had been spending the vast majority of her time at home with the children, and she loved every minute of it. It had been difficult to delegate her responsibilities at the JGF, since the cause was so vitally important to her, but her children simply meant more. She now visited the office for half day twice a week, but the people she had hired were excellent, and they consulted her on all of the important matters. And the Foundation was more successful than ever.

As she entered the private living room, she closed the French doors behind her and took a moment to breathe deeply. Her eyes automatically went to the large 16x20 framed family picture they had had professionally taken last month, and she felt tears come to her eyes for a brief moment before she smiled. It was perfect. She and Frank sat together, one arm each wrapped around the other one's waist, and their three perfect babies were snuggled on their laps, surrounded by Frank and her other arms. The love in that picture was palatable. Hope had belonged with them; she completed their family. Sometimes, Callie thought her heart would burst from the abundance of happiness in her life.

Her perfect partner, so handsome and wonderful; her rambunctious and wild Johnathan Joseph, always on the edge of mischief like his Uncle Joe; her gorgeous little Laurissa Viola, shy and sweet and completely her daddy's girl; and Hope Madison, whose unbelievable beauty and personality, like her dad's, drew everyone to her. Hope, who had never been allowed to call anyone Mommy or Daddy before, now had parents and siblings who loved her with their whole hearts. She had made everyone complete.

Callie walked to the mantle and looked at the pictures, and her attention was drawn to one of her favorites. She picked it up, looking at it closely, and traced the outline of Johnny's face. It was her wedding day, and someone had captured, quite informally, the moment, showing her slow dancing with him at some point in the night, she and Johnny smiling at each other as he held her close. As she looked up at him, the gaze they shared spoke volumes to anyone who cared to notice, and it was a magical moment to capture. And now, more than ever, it seemed prolific and divine.

She closed her eyes and remembered.

" _I think this has been the best wedding I have ever been to," John told her. "Beautiful. Perfect. Just like you."_

 _Callie laughed. "I'm surprised you remember any of yesterday," she joked, referring to the absolutely insane bachelor and bachelorette party._

 _John kissed the tip of her nose. "No you're not. I've been known to party a little."_

 _Callie laughed again. "So very true. You did a beautiful job singing our wedding song, by the way. I swear I don't think that John Legend has a better voice than you."_

 _Johnny smiled. "I don't know about that," he responded, a twinkle in his eye. "But it was certainly my pleasure to do it for you. Thank you for asking me, sweetheart._ _I'm so thrilled for you," he had told her, going on more seriously. "You've found the man of your dreams who loves you about as much as I do." He winked at her. "He's a great man, Callie. He will love you forever; I know it. I hope to find that kind of love one day."_

" _I love you," she told him, seriously._

" _And I, you," he'd told her, "but you know what I mean. The romantic, head over heels, live for the other person, soulmate kind of love. I want to have someone look at me the way that Frank looks at you. One day, right? Maybe?" Noting he was becoming a bit too serious, he suddenly twirled her to the music and dipped her at the end of the song, leaving her in giggles._

" _Someday you'll find that love," she told him, seriously, when she caught her breath. "And that person will be the luckiest guy on Earth."_

 _He smiled and pulled her close for another dance, resting his cheek on top_ _of her head. "Hope," he'd told her softly._

" _What, honey?" she murmured against his chest._

 _He pulled back and looked at her, those amazing and soulful deep green eyes peering into her soul. "Hope. That's what I have and all I'll ever need. You can't live without it, and it's your greatest ally and most perfect optimist. As long as I have Hope, I'll be okay."_

 _She gazed into his eyes. "Then may you always have Hope. She's your greatest gift now and she'll give you your greatest gift in the future. I love that."_

" _To Hope," they'd said at the same time, before laughing again. Then he waltzed her over to Frank, hugged him tightly, told him something meant for the two of them, and delivered her into her new husband's arms, where she belonged._

She replaced the frame on the mantle, kissing Johnny's face through the glass as she did so.

Then, contemplative, at peace, she slipped away, back to the party.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Joe had a lot to do today, and the biggest, most important task was looming. But, before he took care of that, he needed to see Vanessa. He found her, frowning at herself in a mirror in their bedroom.

"Hey gorgeous," he told her, wrapping his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck and pulled her into him, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Mmmm," Vanessa intoned. "Yeah. Gorgeous. That's me." She sighed.

He turned her in his arms, confused. "Yes, it IS you. You're beautiful and sexy and…"

"And HUGE," Vanessa complained. "Nothing fits. It hurts to stand too long. My back and stomach hurt. I may not even fit into the room anymore."

Joe smiled tenderly at her. "You're beautiful," he repeated, kissing her lips softly. "More beautiful than I could have imagined."

"I gained 50 pounds!" Vanessa lamented, tears in her eyes.

"Okay… so?" he asked her. "I could do double that in half the time if I tried and not have a baby to show by the end of it."

"Joe, it's not funny. I just want him here already," she sniffled. "I want my body back."

"Babe," he told her, stroking her cheek, "you are giving me the greatest gift of my life, for the second time. You're a superstar, the love of my life. I could never thank you enough for giving birth to our babies. OUR babies." He felt his voice get thick with emotion. "I love you more than life."

Vanessa tried to smile. "I just feel so insecure."

"Have I found you one bit less attractive than before you were pregnant?" he asked. "Your body was perfect before and it's even more perfect now. I mean, you have a person inside you, babe. It's so beautiful. The closest I ever got was a food baby when me and Biff entered that pie eating contest after Thanksgiving a few years ago."

"Yes. It's almost the same thing," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Have I not been all over you?" he joked, lightening the mood. "Like ALL OVER. Our sex life is still freaking hot."

She blushed. "I guess."

"I have been sleeping with YOU, right?"

Vanessa finally laughed. "Yes. It's been great."

"That's more like it!" he told her with a smile. "I love your body, but — and you might not believe me— I love YOU— your mind, your spirit, your passion— more than anything." He kissed her tenderly.

"You know what?" Vanessa said after a few minutes. "You're right." She straightened herself up. "And I can eat all the cheesecake I want tonight and not have to give a damn."

"I'll help!" Joe replied, laughing.

"I love you, Joe," she told him. "You're my best friend." She blinked back tears. "I have so much to say to you," she said.

"Wanna just have sex?" he asked her, giving her an exaggerated wink.

She started laughing. "How about AFTER everyone goes home? Crazy idea, I know."

"Deal," he told her.

"But it may not be such a good idea. I'm due any day now." She sighed.

"I'll be happy to help induce labor," he offered, eyes twinkling. When she gave him a look, he chuckled. "I'm always down. But if you'd just like me to hold you, I'll be happy to do that too. Whatever you want and need, babe. It's in your court."

He leaned in and kissed her deeply, met her eyes once more. "You really are the most beautiful woman here," he told her. "In so many ways. And I am honored and proud to have such a perfect woman on my arm this evening."

Vanessa tried not to cry.

"I have to go, babe. You know where." He kissed her, leaned down to kiss her stomach. "Take care of mommy," he said. He looked at her. "Because Mommy takes care of me and I love her with my whole heart."

He turned and left, and Vanessa wiped back the tears and studied her rounded form, finally seeing what Joe did, this great gift of life that so many women could not receive.

Her son kicked her, energetic and eager and anxious to see everything the world had to offer.

Just like his daddy.

She smiled.

XXXXXXXXX

* Shakespeare's _Macbeth_

 _** J.D. Salinger's_ _The Catcher in the Rye_


	37. Chapter 37

Relative Fortune

Chapter 37

Conclusion

Part 2

Joe spotted a free seat next to his brother and immediately plopped next to him, deciding to kill a few minutes before his real agenda for the day.

"The party is great," he told Frank. "And it's just the first part. What an awesome idea."

Frank smiled at him as he adjusted a sleeping Laurie against his chest. He watched as Hope and JJ made their way into the bouncy house with Evan, and with Callie, Nancy, and Liz following them all over. Several of their friends and family members were lounging by or in the pool or playing sports and eating the barbeque foods set aside for the afternoon. The evening's fare would be quite different. "I can give Callie total credit for the idea. This was all her."

Joe nodded and extended his arms for Laurie.

Frank raised his brows. "Really? You're a dad. Haven't you learned never to wake a sleeping child?"

Joe picked up Laurie anyway and sat back down, adjusting her against his shoulder. "Nah. My little girl here loves her Uncle Joe, who is trying to escape from her brother, who continues to wear him down."

Frank laughed. "JJ is obsessed with you, no doubt," he agreed. "So... how does it feel to know you're going to be a dad again any day now?"

Joe kissed Laurie before turning to Frank. "It's the most amazing feeling in the world and I can't wait." He took a deep breath. "I just hate seeing Van go through the labor. I want to take away that pain, you know? It's awful."

"She told me the epidural does that," Frank joked. "Don't take it for granted, though. I never had that experience. Callie's pregnancies were … gut -wrenching and awful, and she had the c-sections. But yeah. I know what you mean. It's hell seeing someone you love in pain."

Joe smiled gently at him, a million thoughts swirling in his mind. "It is. Speaking of which, how's the knee?"

Frank shrugged. "I have about 4-5 more months of therapy and I'll be good. I can't wait to run again. Hell, I'd like to walk correctly." He pointed to the large brace he now wore for support. "But I'm alive...and you're alive... and the pain isn't so bad most of the time, so it's all good. Besides," Frank went on, a mischievous sparkle in his dark eyes, "it gave me plenty of time to get everyone's damned taxes done."

Joe started laughing. "When did Biff get you his taxes? April 15th?"

"The 17th," Frank replied, shaking his head. "For his personal finances and both businesses. Pain in the ass."

Joe smiled. It felt great to be here with Frank, enjoying his company. "It's a damn shame we couldn't keep up with that weekly gym commitment," Joe lamented dramatically, and Frank started laughing.

"You're ridiculous," he joked. Despite his serious injuries, Frank still tried to work out as often as possible, taking it slowly and working a lot on the PT machines and with a personal trainer and physical therapist whom Biff had hooked him up with. He had done the same for Pat, and they'd both made great strides. Though Pat was on light duty now, working at a desk mostly for the time being, if he kept making the progress he had done, he'd be back on the road in a few more months. As for him, Frank knew the road ahead would continue to be slow and painful, but he would get there; patience and fortitude simply an inherent part of who he was. Joe, however, spent most of the time, when he did get to the gym, goofing off with Biff, blaming Frank's injury on his inability to work out as hard.

"God, Frank. I'm going to be a dad of two. It's crazy," he went on, changing the subject. "Except for the whole no sex for 8 weeks after, it's awesome...so surreal. I can't wait!"

Frank shot him a look. "Haven't I told you not to mention your sex life to me, like, ever?" Frank asked. "Need to know basis, and I really don't. Although," Frank added with disgust, "you two were out of control the past few months. THANK GOD we had you in the downstairs bedroom all that time. It was bad enough when I had to get up in the middle of the night to hear all the noise you made." He shuddered as Joe started laughing hard. "At least all three of my kids and Callie and I were separated from you by a staircase and long hallway. Even Evan and JJ shared the room upstairs."

"Oh, please!" Joe shot back, still laughing. "I seem to recall that once May hit and you were cleared of your medical restrictions, there was a whole lot of banging furniture…"

"Joe!" Frank cut him off, blushing.

"And moaning."

"Joe!"

"And definitely …"

"Joe!" Frank interrupted, bright red. "Enough."

Joe held up his hands. "Just sayin'. And I say good for you, man. With three kids and us and life and jobs and everything, you made time. But every freaking day?! Sheesh. You have me beat."

Frank just shook his head, and Joe chuckled.

"I swear to god, sometimes I wonder how we're related," Frank grumbled.

"The last thing I have to say on the subject," Joe began, loving mortifying his brother, "is that with mom and dad and the Shaws and Andrea staying here real late and helping keep four kids entertained, and your wife and I planning to get ridiculously wasted along with the vast majority of everyone else, you'd better save your energy so you can sneak away. I've seen you guys get blasted and you're practically rabbits."

"I'm going now," Frank told him, starting to sit up. Joe watched as he carefully maneuvered his injured leg, and saw that it still caused Frank pain, especially since Frank had refused painkillers after the first week, no matter how bad he had felt. His brother was tough, for sure.

"No, you're not. I'll stop," Joe apologized. "I was teasing. Anyway, like I was saying before, this is a great idea. How did Callie think of it?" He sipped his soda.

"Well, apparently we stopped having sex for a minute and somehow the idea came to her in those 60 seconds."

Joe spit out his drink and started choking as Laurie woke up and started to cry. Fortunately, Callie came over at that moment and picked her up, staring at Joe, who was still trying to gain his composure.

"Don't ask," Frank said, deadpanned, and she shrugged, leaned down to kiss him lightly, and then kissed Laurie.

"I'll take her inside and get her changed and get some food," she told them both. "See you soon!"

"You say I'M ridiculous?" Joe asked, voice light.

Frank just grinned.

"I love it- _The_ _Relative Fortune Party!_ " Joe quipped, once he had calmed down. "Cool name."

"Cal said it's more succinct than _Celebrating our fortune with family and friends party."_

Joe laughed. "Must be an English Major thing. Whatever!"

"It's been a tough year," Frank reminded him. "Look, Pat and I were hurt and we both-you and I- missed Valentine's Day with those cases and the hospital. Because I was hurt, we didn't get to have a remembrance day for Johnny or Iola, or a 1st birthday party for Laurie and a second birthday party for JJ. I mean, those are kind of a big deal, and their birthdays are only two days apart in March. Then, with you guys moving in, you didn't have a first birthday party for Evan in May. Everything got jumbled together. I turn 29 in two days, Callie and I just had our four year wedding anniversary, Van's due next week, your anniversary is soon, and so is Hope's 2nd birthday, Pat and Jaclyn got married… it's been insane. Plus, of course, we needed something to welcome Hope to the family. By the way," Frank added, and Joe noted that he broke into a huge smile, "The adoption papers are almost finalized. Carson Drew helped to expedite the process- he's been so great. And, if you can believe this, he's going to pull some strings and see if he can subpoena Amandas's health records. Callie has access to John's. This way, Hope will have a full medical history if she ever needs it." He paused. "Anyway- next month, we'll have Hope Madison Gellers Hardy… Hope Hardy. Exciting, right?"

"Absolutely!" Joe agreed, returning the smile. "I'm so thrilled for you guys. She's a doll. Johnny is, I'm sure, smiling down from heaven right now." He became more serious. "Really. If he couldn't be here, what could be better than watching his closest friends raise his daughter? What a gift."

"He loved Callie so much," Frank said, softly. He met Joe's eyes. "But not in the way I was so stupid to think a few months ago. Thank you for talking me through that. You know, I do think that John would not have wanted anyone raising his daughter other than Callie, and I will raise that little girl as my daughter as much as Laurie."

"I know you will. Of COURSE you will," Joe agreed readily. "And I will be a damned cool uncle to her as well."

"She's gone through so much," Frank went on, quietly. "But she's incredible. It only took her a month to start calling us mommy and daddy." He shook his head. "How anyone could not want a child…" His voice was shaky, and he fought back anger. "We're going to wait until she's old enough to understand what adoption means. Right now, she just needs all the love in the world. Thank god Callie has been able to keep the Press off her, but eventually they'll find out. One day, we'll tell her that she's the luckiest little girl in the world, because she had two sets of parents who loved her so much. She'll know all about Johnny, and as far as Amanda goes, I'm sure we'll find some good things to say. If nothing else, she gave Hope life... and no matter why she did, it's the greatest gift of all."

Joe nodded, compassionate. "Well, we all love her so much, Frank, and she has the best family now and forever to look out for her. And she's still so young- all she'll remember is you and Callie. Promise."

Frank nodded, smiling softly. "Thanks, Joe. Anyway, we figured why not take one day and celebrate everyone? We have the best friends in the world."

"We have the best family, too," Joe replied, suddenly serious. "I'll have two baby boys in a week: Evan Frank, my little 14 month old."

"And Vincent Hooper," Frank replied with a smile. "Vanessa must be thrilled. Have you told Biff yet?"

"No," Joe admitted. "I will. He'll be busy today."

"He might even cry," Frank teased, as Biff wasn't known for sentimentality.

"He might," Joe replied. "Whatever. Vanessa is so proud to name the baby after her dad, and after the Cotnig case, I couldn't rightfully call the baby Alan."

"True," Frank agreed.

"And I mean, I love him, but _Biff_? Other than _Back to the Future,_ it's rarely used and it's a nickname. Hooper, though— it's cute, right?"

Frank smiled warmly. "Definitely."

"Two under two- it's gonna get crazy!" Joe smiled.

Frank shot him a look. "JJ is 2 years, 4 months, Hope is 22 months, and Laurie is 16 months. Don't even start."

Before Joe could contemplate it further, little Hope, holding JJ's hand, came up to them. JJ automatically jumped on Joe, who started to play wrestle with him, and Hope crawled onto Frank's lap. "Hi daddy," she said happily, and Joe paused his playing with JJ for a moment to watch his brother's whole demeanor soften as he looked at his second daughter, resplendent with wavy blonde hair and Johnny's bright, big, beautiful green eyes.

"Hi baby," he told her, hugging her. "Having fun?"

"Pool daddy?" she asked. "I gonna be a mu-maid!" She raised her arms happily, and twirled as she stood. "Like Awiel. An swim with da fisheth!"

Frank started laughing.

Joe bit his lip. Laurie was the love of Frank's life, his adorable, shy, cuddly little one. But Hope had a personality as big as Johnny's, her traumatic past seemingly forgotten as she was embraced and surrounded by love. And, like her blood father, she made everyone fall in love with her being. That little girl was destined for greatness. Between JJ's wild streak and Hope's sheer charisma, Frank and Callie would have their hands full for a long, long time. The thought made him smile.

"Okay, Mermaid Hope," Frank said, eyes filled with laughter and love. "Go find Princess Laurie with Mommy and you can go swimming. See Mommy?" He pointed at Callie, now emerging from the house with Laurie and another woman.

Hope waved at Callie, who waved back in the distance.

"Daddy?" Hope asked.

"Yes, honey?" Frank replied.

"Who dat?" she pointed at a little girl who was clinging to the hand of a woman who seemed to be out of place. She was quietly speaking to Callie.

Joe looked up as well, shocked when he recognized Jessica and Stella Santitori. He looked questioningly at his brother, who smiled before answering, "She's a good person, Joe. We invited her. I wanted her to meet Callie and the kids." He motioned to Callie to send her their way, and, at Callie's encouragement, the two headed over.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Joe asked. "I mean, normally we don't get involved with clients and-"

"I'm sure," Frank answered, simply.

As soon as Jessica walked over, and Frank introduced her to Joe, she quietly said, "Thanks for the invite. We normally don't come out this way." What she didn't say spoke volumes, but Joe just watched, curious.

Before Frank could answer, Hope chirped in, "Hi! I Hope. Who you?"

Stella seemed surprised, but Hope's presence was enough to make her let go of her mom's hand. "Stella," she whispered shyly.

"Pwetty dwess," Hope went on. "Wanna play? We can be mu-maids and wule da wold!"

Frank's mouth fell open and Joe started laughing. Hope was JUST like Johnny. It was unbelievable.

"Go ahead, sweetie," Jessica replied. "Just for a little bit."

Hope kissed Frank on the cheek. "Dat my daddy an my unca an my bwotha and I take you to my lil sista." She grabbed Stella's hand and started running to Callie.

JJ cuddled closer to Joe, and he could tell that JJ felt a little left out. "Come on, little guy," Joe told him, picking him up. "Let's go do man stuff with Evan."

"I wanna swim," he said, eyes filling with tears.

"Or... we could do that," Joe told him, kissing his cheek. "We'll find Evan, and then Uncle Joe has to talk to Uncle Biff, okay?"

"Okay, Unca Joe," JJ responded happily. With his free hand, Joe reached down and helped Frank stand as Frank watched Hope and Stella twirl all the way to Callie.

Then, slinging his free arm around his brother as he released JJ to run ahead of him, he impulsively hugged him. "I'm so glad you're my brother," Joe told him, freely and easily, as words and emotions tended to come to him. He turned to Jessica. "Pleasure to meet you," he told her. "And welcome to the Hardy circle."

He left them alone.

"You have such a sweet family," she told Frank quietly. She met his eyes. "Thank you," she went on. "You were so nice to me when no one else was. You... you didn't judge me when I told you about me and Josh and ... his past. What he did."

"That wasn't your fault, Jessica," Frank replied, kindly. "You lost a boyfriend. Your brother betrayed you. You almost lost your daughter. I'd say you deserved every bit of compassion you could get."

She bit her lip and blushed. "I'm tryin' real hard, Frank. I promise you I am. I want my baby girl to live a good life and one day maybe we'll be okay and out of that trailer park section of town. I'm goin' back to school and doin' real good."

"That's wonderful," Frank told her. "You know, it looks like Hope and Stella are hitting it off. You're welcome to come over for play dates sometime. We have a lot of kids around here!" He laughed. "It's never dull."

"Thank you," she replied again, and Frank saw she was touched deeply by his acceptance. "You are a good man, Frank. And what a gorgeous wife and children you have. And this house! Just- wow."

Frank blushed a bit. "Well, your daughter is beautiful, too, and thank you. It doesn't matter where a person lives, Jessica. It's not a house that makes a home."

She smiled gratefully. "That's the truth." Then, she seemed to remember that she was holding a bag in her hand. "Oh! I almost forgot." She extended the bag to him. "I... well, you know we don't have much, and I'm not sure exactly what this family and friends party thing is-"

Frank laughed. "I get it. No one does. But it's been great."

"It is different, for sure," she replied. "But I wanted to get you something. So... well, I've been working on this for a few months. I... I hope you like it."

Frank reached into the gift bag and pulled out a throw blanket that was gray on one side. When he turned it over, he was momentarily speechless. It was all hand stitched, and in big letters was "Love." Then, surrounding the whole blanket, names and designs were individually embroidered: _Frank, Callie, Hope, Jonathan, Laurissa._ It also had other names on different corners: _Fenton_ _, Laura, Joe, Vanessa, Evan, baby; Melissa, Robert; Johnny._

"I hope you don't mind. I called the police station and the Chief gave me the names of people he said meant the most to you. I hope I didn't leave anyone off."

"It's beautiful," Frank replied at last, humbled. "You made this?"

She nodded. "I always liked to sew and create things. I'm sorry I couldn't get you more."

"It's going right in our family room," he told her, smiling. "And I think this is one of the nicest gifts I have ever gotten. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," she replied, clearly happy.

"Now come on," Frank told her. "How about you meet some of those people whose names you stitched? Get something to eat, relax. I'm glad you could make it."

"Me, too," she told him.

And Frank smiled, grateful for his fortune once again, and happy to share it with others.

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By 6:00, phase one of the day was pretty much completed. It had been a blast. Frank and Callie had ordered cakes for each individual child, had lead everyone in Happy Birthday rounds, had proposed toasts to Pat and Jaclyn, who looked so happy and grateful to be with each other, had made sure that everyone felt welcomed and appreciated. Seeing all of their family and friends together in one place was a beautiful feeling.

Now, as crews came in to switch the yard around, to set up chairs for the ceremony, as the caterers hurried to set up for the cocktail hour, as toys were replaced by candles and flowers, Joe took a deep breath, emotional. The pool was lit up, the activities and setting considerably more adult than the past few hours would have indicated. If the bar at the far end of the dance floor opposite the deejay wasn't an indicator of that, Joe had no idea what was.

They were in waiting mode now. Those who lived close enough to Frank and Callie to run home left to get showered, changed, and refreshed. The many people who remained did the same, virtually taking over the house. In an hour, everything would be different. In an hour, Biff and Karen would tie the knot, and Joe couldn't have felt more excited if he'd wanted to.

In May, at Pat's wedding, Biff had told him and his brother that he and Karen were kind of stuck. Neither wanted a huge wedding; they wanted something low key and laid back. He'd wanted to elope, but Karen wanted to have her close family and friends present. So they'd remained in limbo on wedding planning, which was disappointing to them both.

Joe smiled at the memory.

" _So how laid back do you guys want it?" Callie had asked, sitting on Frank's lap at their table._

" _Yeah- like go to the courthouse laid back or go to Bermuda like Cal and Frank laid back?" Vanessa teased, and they'd all groaned, remembering the decidedly NOT laid back nature of their wedding._

 _Karen sighed. "Something small," she said. "But fun."_

" _Have you looked at venues?" Joe asked. "You guys need to get on this."_

 _Biff shrugged before slipping his arm around Karen. "No. That's the thing. We want to get married soon, but we can't agree. I sure as hell want my bachelor party," he noted pointedly as he stared at Joe, who laughed._

 _But Frank and Callie had started speaking to each other quietly, something they did so often no one even paid attention anymore. They did listen, though, when Frank spoke up. "We… we might have an idea," he started, causing everyone to look at him. "If you're interested."_

" _Fly everyone to Vegas?" Biff joked as Karen rolled her eyes._

" _No," Frank replied with a smile. "What about our house?"_

" _What do you mean?" Karen asked. "Like a little backyard ceremony?"_

" _Not quite," Frank had told her, smiling. "We have a large house, but, more important, we have a huge yard. We could easily have 100 people, maybe more, whatever you'd like. Biff's construction company could help make a dance floor and wedding arch, and you would just need to pick a deejay, flowers, and catering company. We've all been there, so we could help. Get a minister. I hate the idea of relying on the weather, but we could get tents as a backup, and make it as big or small, as formal or informal as you'd like. Most important, we could do it as quickly as you'd like if the companies are available."_

 _Karen's eyes grew wide. "Wait. Are you being serious?" she'd asked, and Biff had looked completely shocked._

" _I mean, you're doing that Family Fortune thingy anyway," Biff said. "Wouldn't that be a lot for you? I've never considered the possibility."_

" _Relative Fortune, not Family Fortune, silly," Callie corrected him, grinning. "SO… why not split the day? Everyone will be there anyway. Invite your families. We'll have the day. You have the night, and you can make it go as long as you'd like."_

 _Biff looked at Frank, seeing the excitement in Karen's eyes. "You'd do that?" he asked._

" _Of course," Frank told him. "We'd love to."_

" _This could be perfect," Karen had said, teary. "It'd cut down on costs and could be a perfect compromise."_

 _Joe smiled. "The construction company can get the dance floor and arch, Karen. You wouldn't need to worry about the cost of a space. Frank and Callie will already have the tables and chairs there; just switch out the decorations. Van and I will pay for your deejay, because I'll be damned if I'll listen to some of the shitty music that your fiance likes."_

 _By now, Karen was wiping back tears._

" _And we'll pay for whatever your parents don't cover," Callie said easily, as Joe's mouth fell open. "Don't even think about money. Get what you want."_

" _No… we couldn't accept that," Biff began, at a loss for words._

" _You can and you will," Joe cut in. "It makes my best man duties significantly easier, and it's really all about my needs," he joked._

" _Kar?" Biff asked._

 _She nodded her head. "Yes! Yes! Oh, thank you guys so much!"_

And that is how Biff and Karen had come to get married on this beautiful July day at his brother's house.

As it turned out, between both celebrations, there were close to 100 people present, and it turned out that the number was perfect, since they all were so tight knit and really did consider everyone there family and close friends. Biff and Karen had opted for semi-formal attire, and now, as he knocked at the door of the bedroom he and Vanessa stayed in, he waited for Biff to open the door. Karen and her sister were getting ready upstairs. Since they both had so many friends and the wedding party would have grown out of control, it would only be Joe and Karen's sister, Karissa, standing with them as best man and matron of honor.

"Come in!" Biff called.

Joe entered, adjusting his tie and smoothing down his navy suit, identical to the one Biff wore, except that Biff's tie was white. Biff was standing up, trying to adjust his cuff links.

Calmly, Joe went over to him and turned the jacket sleeve over, doing it for him, when he saw Biff's hands were trembling.

"There you go," Joe told him. "Can't let you look like your usual mess today," he teased.

Not missing a beat, Biff quipped back, "I'm regretting having you in all my damned pictures with your ugly face ruining them." He looked in the mirror.

"You look great, man," Joe assured him, and he meant it. "You clean up decent."

Biff smiled, ignoring him. "I AM damned sexy," he said. "Shit. I'd marry myself."

Joe started laughing. "Keep acting like a jackass and that'll be your only choice," he told him, and Biff chuckled.

"Can you believe it?" Biff asked him, turning to face him at last. "Who'd have thought I would finally settle down?"

"You'll never settle down," Joe replied, smiling, and Biff nodded, smiling himself. "You speak truth, bro."

"You nervous?" Joe asked, a bit more seriously. "I mean, if you change your mind, I can take one for the team, cause some distraction, and let you run away."

"Please," Biff responded, though Joe could see that his hands were still shaky. "Biff Hooper doesn't get nervous. I'm tough. When I finish my workouts, the gym takes a break."

Joe snorted."Yeah, you don't sweat at the gym— the weights sweat. I know."

"You understand me, Joe," Biff replied, laughing.

After a few minutes, during which Biff checked his watch several times, he spoke softly. "This was a hell of a gift from your brother and Callie," he said. "Told you I always liked him more."

Joe rolled his eyes."Yes, it was. They were happy to do it. They figured you'd be less of a buffoon if they could keep you contained."

"Ten minutes," Biff said, swallowing hard. "Yeah, I'm nervous," he admitted.

"Don't be," Joe assured him. "She is a top notch girl: beautiful, funny, chill, smart. You hit the lottery. Although she clearly has problems making good decisions," he had to add.

Biff didn't respond for once, and Joe touched his back gently. "You okay?"

When Biff turned around, his eyes were serious. He cleared his throat before speaking. "I'm glad you're here with me now. A decade ago, who would have thought we'd even be alive right now. God, we've done some stupid shit. And I'm sure we'll continue to do stupid shit."

"No doubt," Joe said gently.

"You've been my best friend for close to 25 years," Biff told him. "I… you know…" His eyes were watery, much to Joe's shock.

"I DO know," Joe told him, starting to get a little teary himself. "You're as much my brother as Frank is," Joe managed to get out. "You'll always be."

"Damnit, Joe, I don't cry, so shut the hell up." He looked away.

Joe smiled and wiped his eyes. "Well, since we're getting the emotional stuff out of the way, I did want to tell you one more thing."

Biff shook his head. "You can't run away with me. I'm too sexy for you."

"Shucks," Joe replied, swinging an arm and snapping. "That was obviously what I was hinting at."

"You have 5 minutes," Biff went on.

"I have a gift for you," Joe told him, handing him a small box.

Biff raised his brows. "It doesn't look like a flask."

"Biff, to quote you, shut the hell up," Joe answered, laughing. "Just open it."

Biff did so, joking the whole time about the girly wrapping paper and other nonsense, until he got to the gift, and he stopped talking. Inside were two silver identity bracelets, one in an adult male size and one in a newborn baby size. Biff looked at him questioningly.

"I'm giving you an early present because I assume you will be the new baby's godfather," Joe said. "And I had it inscribed with his name on your bracelet and your name on his. Take a look."

Slowly, Biff pulled it out and looked closely: _Vincent Hooper._

He covered his mouth with his hand and his eyes filled with tears as his lips quivered a bit. He just nodded. The next moment, he reached out to Joe and hugged him tightly. "I love you, bro," he barely managed.

"I love you, too," Joe responded.

When they pulled apart, Joe handed Biff a tissue, and he took one himself.

"Come on," Joe told him after a minute, watching as Biff fastened the bracelet on his left wrist. "Let's get you married before Karen changes her mind."

Biff nodded again. "Sounds like a plan."

"The flask is behind the arch, by the way," Joe added. "Don't worry."

Biff looked at him, hugged him again quickly, and laughed.

"I knew you'd come through, idiot."

"Move, Mr. Sexy as Shit," Joe joked back, and they headed outside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The ceremony was beautiful. Somehow, Biff held it together when he watched Karen walk to him, with her dad, in a form fitting mermaid dress. With her thin, tall frame, she looked like a model, and Biff was rendered speechless as he awaited her arrival at the end of the rose covered aisle.

Prior to that, the kids had stolen the show as JJ and Hope walked down the same path, holding signs saying "Here comes the bride" and "Please stand." Then, the younger two, Evan and Laurie, as ring bearer and flower girl, held hands as they ended up half running, stumbling, and laughing the whole time.

When Biff and Karen exchanged vows, Joe made eye contact with Vanessa, who was seated with Evan, hand on her very pregnant belly, and he was almost overwhelmed by his good fortune, as his wife and son looked so achingly beautiful to him.

He saw Frank and Callie with their kids, a completed family at last, and they managed to look more in love with each other than ever, stealing kisses surreptitiously throughout the ceremony as they held onto their children.

He watched Pat and Jaclyn, completely smitten with each other, grateful that he'd made it through, would return fully one day soon to the force he loved. He deserved all the happiness in the world, a fine person and friend, and Joe knew he appreciated his life all the more now.

He felt that love from everyone gathered; he knew Biff and Karen did, too.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The party was in full swing and would last for several more hours. Frank looked around at the dance floor packed with people, family and friends, and could not have been happier.

Biff was currently dancing with Vanessa and Joe with Karen. Pat was dancing with both Jaclyn and Evan somehow, and even more incredulous, doing both well. JJ was running around with Tony's toddlers, Fenton had Hope, and Melissa Shaw was playing with Laurie. There wasn't a seat empty as the music got louder; the 'low key' wedding was an overarching success.

Before he knew it, Callie appeared, dancing right to him. She threw her arms around his neck dramatically and looked up at him, somehow managing to look both silly and sultry at the same time. "Hey handsome," she murmured to him. "You look SMOKING. HOT." She kissed his neck.

Frank started laughing. Callie wasn't quite drunk, but she was starting to turn the corner there from tipsy. Callie rarely dank, other than an occasional glass of wine, and he could count on one hand-well... maybe two- the times he'd seen her get wasted. She was much too in control in her life to let that happen. Tonight, though, she and Joe had started some stupid drinking game and they were going hard. In this company of people, she felt safe to let loose. He knew damn well that Joe would win the game; so did Joe; so, probably, did Callie. Callie was petite and wasn't used to drinking, and Joe, to say the very least, could hold his alcohol. Joe always joked that he had to keep conditioning himself to stay in shape to do, and that his regimen was solid.

"Thank you, baby," he told her, smiling as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Having fun?"

Callie's dark eyes grew wide. "Soooooo much fun," she drawled. "The room is spinning..." She twisted in his arms to emphasize her point and Frank continued to laugh.

"I don't know that that's supposed to happen," he told her. "You might want to slow down."

"Hank Fardy," she said, completely serious as she furrowed her brows, "you are no fun."

"Hank Fardy?" he asked, chuckling. This was pretty funny. He was kind of glad Joe hadn't heard her, though. She would never live it down.

"I want you to dance with me, baby," she cajoled, kissing his jaw. "Please?! I'll show you my moves." She batted her lashes at him, completely carefree.

He felt bad. "Honey, you have me for the slow songs. I can't do the fast ones, remember?"

She looked confused for a moment. "Oh!" she told him. "You're hurt. I forgot. Sorry, baby." She pouted at him.

Frank was trying not to laugh. "No problem. Go dance with Joe. I'm sure he'll spin you around."

"I will. Later. But I have a better idea. Let me make you feel ALL BETTER now." She spun in his arms again. "We have time."

"Cal, no," Frank answered, suppressing a smile. "Stop."

"Why? You don't think I'm pretty? You don't _want_ me?" She looked at him with bedroom eyes, as she pressed herself against him and bit her lip suggestively. "One tug of the zipper and it's all off." Her lips were inches from his.

Before he could answer, she went on. "I'll be back by the bouncy houses… WAY over there… in the dark, if you wanna find me." She pulled away, winked at him, and picked up another mixed drink on her way out of the main tent.

Frank stared at her as she left. His instinct was to take the alcohol glass from her, talk to her about why she needed to settle down and be practical, and then walk... or limp, rather...around with her until she got a bit steadier; to check on their guests. He sipped his own beer, still watching her. She looked sober, though she clearly wasn't, mingling with people as she turned to him periodically and tossed her hair, shimmying her hips seductively.

It was working, as he began to feel genuine stirrings of arousal and he couldn't look away.

And then, out of the corner of his eye, as he saw Joe, Biff, and Pat completely letting loose with each other and their wives, loving life, laughing, and dancing; saw Chief Collig and his wife, Fenton and Laura, joking and smiling; saw Ned twirling his beautiful and kind wife in his arms, eyes dancing with joy; and it was as if something in him changed. It was as if a fog had suddenly lifted, and he saw her clearly for the first time that day.

His wife. She was always so beautiful, but tonight, if he was being honest, she was sexy as hell, radiating heat. For the first time in several years, she was not dressed conservatively, feeling like she wouldn't be ogled, manhandled, or judged here. She'd learned to accept help from others slowly, and had, in turn, given herself time to rest more, work out again, and eat the nutritious, healthy meals she genuinely enjoyed. Her long blonde hair, which she always wore up, now cascaded in loose waves to the middle of her back. She wore a form fitting knee length simple black dress, with a partially open back and side slit, that showed off her flawless figure, and stilettos that added 3 or 4 inches to her height. With her golden tan and impeccable makeup, she was absolutely breathtaking.

But it was more than that. She looked so happy and unencumbered, which made her look young and free, so like the fun and wild, spirited woman he had fallen in love with so many years ago. She was finally whole, and that confidence radiated through every fiber of her being.

What was wrong with him? He used to be that way too before cases and life and tragedy got in the way, before he'd traded sensibility for sense. He was actually a fun person; the kind of guy who in his younger years would have been the one dragging her to the bouncy house or whatever was available at the time. And though their intimate life now was extremely passionate and fulfilling, he was starting to feel like it was time, finally, to let all inhibitions go, with every aspect of his life, as far as he could. He had been getting there the last year, and he had loved returning to world of mischief and irresponsibility, as far as his nature would allow. Why had he stopped since February?

His family needed all of him. His kids needed to know that life was about taking risks, maybe not as much as Uncle Joe did, but that risks yielded rewards. And his brother needed to know that he would continue to cover for him and hang out with him and get involved periodically in stupid things, just _because_.

His wife, above all, needed to know that he desired her with everything he had. She was the greatest love of his life and his true soulmate and best friend. They'd managed to survive the very worst of humanity, even now going to counseling together to ensure that they would never lose that closeness and bond they shared, never let their own insecurities fuel misunderstandings again. The cherry on top remained that he continued to fall more in love with her all the time, wanting and needing her. He wondered again how he had gotten so lucky, allowed himself to feel that longing and pride to have such an incredible woman as his own, one who loved him unconditionally, as he loved her.

It took him longer than he would have liked because of his injured knee to leave the party and make his way to the back of the yard, now almost pitch black. He found her, sitting on the entrance to the bouncy house, sipping her drink, and looking at the clear night sky, alight with stars.

She smiled when she saw him and patted the space next to her as she moved over. When he sat down, so full of emotion, desire, he couldn't speak. She seemed less tipsy now as she leaned her head against his shoulder, contentedly.

"You came," she told him, quietly, snuggling against him as she continued to look at the stars. "How amazing tonight is, how amazing today was," she went on, wistful. "I feel almost unworthy to have this perfect life." She kissed his shoulder. "This has been one of my favorite days ever, and I like to think that maybe it was all meant to be… in the stars, you know?" The alcohol had made her chattier than normal, but she clearly meant what she was saying.

"You look unbelievably beautiful tonight," he found himself whispering to her. "That dress is perfect." His heart was beating hard. "And you know I want you." He looked into her eyes, her perfume circling him like an aphrodisiac, and he could barely control himself.

Callie smiled, seemingly oblivious to his flirtation. "You like it? Good. You're the only one I care to impress." She turned to him with a smile and offered him her hand as she stood. "It's conservative in the front but a party in the back. Like a mullet!" she said, suddenly, being free and silly, and Frank laughed in spite of himself.

"That thought absolutely did _not_ cross my mind," he added, his voice huskier than normal.

As he stood, fingers laced through hers, he smiled tenderly at her, noting the moonlight illuminating her jewelry. As always, she wore her ruby ring on her right hand and her wedding and engagement rings on her left. But tonight, she also wore the diamond necklace and earrings he'd gotten her years ago, along with the beautiful diamond bracelet he had gotten her for their first anniversary. By now, it was covered in diamond charms: a house, three different charms for each of their children, a theater mask in remembrance of Johnny, hearts in different styles for each one of their anniversaries, a cross, and a small little box, a reminder of the safety she would always find with him. Never ostentatious, she wore that expensive piece maybe once or twice a year, and it looked beautiful on her.

"What, baby?" she asked him.

"You're glittering," he told her, lifting her hand to his mouth to kiss it. "Remind me that you have this if we need to have a down payment on another house someday," he teased. Still, he couldn't look away. She was _so_ damned gorgeous.

She laughed. "Come on, handsome. We have at least two or three hours left, and I would love nothing better than to SLOW DANCE," she emphasized, playfully sticking out her tongue, "in the arms of the man whom I love so much. Let's go, babe."

"I can think of something we would both like a whole lot better than that," he said suddenly, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately as he pressed himself against her, holding her immobile against the house. He reached up undid the zipper in record time, and, true to her word, the dress began to slip from her shoulders.

"Frank," she breathed heavily, helpless in his arms. "I didn't think you'd actually do this."

He continued his trail of kisses from her lips to her neck. Then, he pulled her inside the house. "I'm gonna do a whole lot more than that," he whispered _. "_ There's still the slide and the carousel and the ball pit..."

Callie laughed and moaned at the same time as Frank continued to undress her, both impatient and tender. "The ball pit?" she managed.

"I'm a big kid," he answered, unyielding in his touches, kisses.

Finally, Callie caught her breath and pushed him on his back. "Very big," she whispered seductively, looking down at him, biting her lip again. "One hour. I'm all yours. Whatever you want. Ready." She kissed his neck. "Set." She undid his tie as she climbed over him. "Go," she mouthed.

He went.

Afterwards, as they returned to the party inconspicuously, they didn't leave each other's sides, breathless and uninhibited and head over heels in love. Still, for a long time, neither could look at party inflatables quite the same way again.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Close to 3:30 a.m., the last of the guests had left. It had been a perfect day and night, could not have gone better. He and Vanessa would be leaving Frank and Callie's soon, and each day seemed precious and fleeting.

He, Vanessa, Frank, Callie and the kids were all in the family room that had come to literally be a second home for him, where, after getting changed into comfortable clothes, they'd talked and laughed for the last hour about the events of the night. Joe, unable to sleep and sitting on a club chair, took a few minutes to look around, silently, contemplating everything they'd been through.

Vanessa had fallen asleep in the recliner, looking like a beautiful angel, hand resting on her stomach, nurturing the life inside her. It was a poignant and lovely image, and he felt immense gratitude.

JJ and Hope were curled up on the sofa under the covers together, while Evan and Laurie shared a playpen and slept cuddled together as well.

On the large couch, Callie was nestled asleep in Frank's arms as he gently stroked her hair.

"Still awake?" Frank asked him, and Joe smiled. Frank hadn't even opened his eyes, but he somehow knew, as always, what was going on. Now, he glanced in his direction.

"Sleeping is for the weak," Joe joked.

"Want to talk?" Frank asked him, simply.

"Not too much," Joe replied, surprising himself. "I'm just thinking about our family and how much things are changing, but how it's all perfect, you know? And I'm so grateful for everything. God, we are so lucky. Relatively fortunate, Callie might say," he added softly.

"Yes, we are," Frank agreed.

"I'm going to miss you," Joe told him softly. "It's been fun living with you guys." Frank shifted as Joe sat on the floor next to the couch so he could look Frank in the eyes.

"I'm just trying to hold my wife now," Frank told him with a smile.

"Oh," Joe said. "Sorry."

Frank turned to him, one arm around Callie, who seemed to melt into him. "Don't be," Frank replied. "I was teasing- mostly." He chuckled. "I'm going to miss you, too. But we're going to live ten minutes from each other, Joe, and we work together every day. Plus, I'll always be here for you- you know that. You'll get sick of me soon."

"That will never happen," Joe told him, contemplative. "You're my best friend."

Frank smiled at him affectionately. "And you're mine. I wish I was more like you, Joe- so free with my words and actions. But I am who I am; it doesn't mean that I don't feel the same way you do about things. I am going to try to loosen up even more and try to have fun."

Joe laughed softly. "You can't TRY to have fun. You just have to have fun… or it's not fun."

"You're a regular poet, Joe," Frank replied, dryly.

"Frank," he went on, "You're going to be 29 in a few days. You have three babies. I'm going to be a dad of two next week- and I'll be 28 soon. We own houses and have jobs and … it's just that life moves so fast."

"Hey," Frank replied, "that's why you're always telling me to live in the moment and enjoy it all. You're absolutely right. Joe, our kids will grow up together, and our friends' kids will be around the same ages, I'm sure. It's a blessing. We have the best parents and in-laws; I think we both married our dream women. Life's pretty sweet."

"It is," Joe agreed. "I just don't want us to grow apart."

"Has that happened?" Frank asked him. "Quite the opposite, I'd say."

"I know," Joe admitted. "But you're sure you're okay with me … you know…"

"Pursuing the specialty cases of violence against women?" Frank asked.

"Yeah," Joe responded. "I really feel that's my calling."

"Then you have to do it," Frank told him. "And you have to be okay with me doing more international work; I love it."

"I am," Joe replied. "And we both already told Dad that we want to focus most on child welfare cases, agreed?"

"Yes," Frank acknowledged.

"But I always want to run things by you and ask your advice and actually get out there with you," Joe told him. "When we work together, we are at our best."

"We are," Frank agreed, yawning. "Now stop worrying. We had an amazing day. Biff and Karen were so happy. Pat is getting so much better. Even Collig was in a good mood. We have a lot to celebrate."

"We sure do," Joe agreed.

Frank reached over with his free hand and clasped Joe's hand for a second. "It's all okay, Joe. We DO have so much to be thankful for. And I will always, _always_ be here for you, just like you're always there for me, okay?"

"Okay," Joe agreed, relaxing, before he released Frank's hand.

"Now get some sleep, little brother. You'll need it soon. I love you." He yawned again, winked at Joe, and kissed Callie's forehead, wrapping both arms around her and holding her close.

Joe returned to the nearby chair, smiling. At last, after a few minutes, he closed his eyes and slipped into a peaceful, contented sleep, knowing all he had to be grateful for, and surrounded by love, his heart full. It had all worked out…

...fortunately.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 **Note** : _I wanted to take a few minutes to thank everyone for their support. Over the course of this story and the arc as a whole, it has been such a pleasure for me to log on and to see people reading and adding either my name or my stories to their Favorites list. It's such a lovely feeling to know that people have enjoyed this series and have chosen to spend their valuable time reading what I have created. I cannot emphasize how special that is. In addition, for every single person who has stopped to spend time and to leave a review, please know that I have treasured each one. Your encouragement, suggestions, and feedback have meant so much, especially to those who have left a comment on every single chapter—what an honor. It takes a long time to write a single chapter, much less a whole story, and knowing that people are reading makes a huge impact; I think any author would second that._

 _To that end, the following people have my gratitude for leaving reviews at some point (or all the time!) along the way: BeeBee18, BMSH, candylou, Caranath, Carlotta Valdez, Cereleannoson, ChrisCorso, CincyDreamer, Drumboy100, DusktoDawn21, Ella Tremaine, Emerald Seas 45, ErinJordan, EvergreenDreamweaver, FANHB08, Frankenstein's Bride, Guest(s), hbndgirl, Hero76, HighFlyer, hlahabibty, Joy Lande, Kimba Kellie, max2013, Moon in Scorpio, Paulina Ann, Penlew, Rebeccareneesharplake, Ritu, and sm2003495. It's been a delight getting to hear what you thought, and, for several of you, getting to know you personally via PM's._

 _I do not know if this is the end of my fan fiction writing career, but if it is, I am still so grateful to have had the opportunity to experiment with my writing technique and to tell some stories that have made me happy. I hope I have grown as a writer and storyteller; I simply love fiction and writing is a treat for me. I have no other stories written at this point, so I tried to have the Hardys and their friends end up in a place of happiness and promise, should they need to remain there._

 _This is not to say that I'll never write here again. Inspiration is funny like that; it visits or it doesn't. To be honest, I have a whole other story in my mind where Frank and Joe go after Callie's attackers to, at last, bring her justice. I even know how to do it without revealing a single graphic detail, as, in my mind, it's not what happened to her that is important, but how she grew and learned to to survive and thrive. However, I'm not sure if people would want to read that story or if I should leave it as is. Feel free to PM me— really— if it's something you would be interested in; no hard feelings either way. I think my heart is in this arc, though I'm curious if any readers would prefer going away from it. I'd also like to hear if you have any ideas for subplots, what I really love— the character exploration and dynamics. For example, I have an idea for Biff, but I'm all for hearing what you think. I always start off with the question, "I wonder what would happen IF" and go from there! :) In any case, I'm done for at least a while to give my muses some time to rest and recover as I enjoy the many talented authors out there who have shared their stories here._

 _And so, for now, I leave with a big smile on my face with thanks for you all. Thank you so much for allowing me to tell my little stories and for supporting me in so doing. Should I ever decide to write "in the real world" one day, I know that it was because I got a chance to write here first. You've all been so kind to take this journey with me._

 _With gratitude,_

 _Cheryl_


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